Kingdom Hearts: Warriors of the Light
by Broncozfan623
Summary: The Keyblade War. Once a thing of fairy tales has now become a reality thanks to Master Xehanort. In order to stop him, many hearts will have to be brought back to the light where they belong. New powers will have to be obtained. The forces of Light and Dark will clash, as the fate of the entire world hangs in the balance. (Sequel to The Soldier of Darkness) (KH3 Spoilers)
1. I - Introduction - Opening Scene

_**Play: Dearly Beloved - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

 **Before you begin, there are some things you need to know:**

 _ **I. This story is a sequel to "Kingdom Hearts: The Soldier of Darkness." If you have not read it, click off of here and go read it right now. You will be incredibly lost if you do not.**_

 _ **II. This is an AU that takes place during Dream Drop Distance and Kingdom Hearts 3. The story for KH3 is written completely by me.**_

 ** _III. Same as "The Soldier of Darkness," main focus is on Story, Combat, and Music. Nothing new there. I've also made improvements to the dialogue, so now it's more clear who is talking at each point._**

 ** _IV. Spoilers for 3D if you haven't played it yet. If you have not, I recommend you do before reading._**

 ** _V. This story is rated T for a reason. You'll find out why later._**

 ** _VI. Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my OC, Kirux. Everything else belongs to Disney and Square Enix._**

 **If I have anything else to say, I will let you know in later chapters.**

 **So, let's begin.**

* * *

 _ **Stop: Dearly Beloved - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Simple and Clean/Hikari Intro - KH1**_

 **Note: I didn't write the intro scene in the last story, and I'm not making that same mistake here. This intro is completely new, and for this story alone. It's pretty much just a recap of the first story, if you've forgotten anything.**

* * *

 _You see the original Sea-Salt trio. From left to right: Xion, Roxas, and Axel, sitting up on the clock tower._

 _..._

 _It flashes to someone in a black coat, walking towards an unknown object in a white room._

 _..._

 _Cut back to the clock tower. Axel and Roxas are talking to one another, while Xion is silent._

 _..._

 _Back to the mysterious man in the white room. He's now stopped walking, and is standing before the pod in front of him._

 _He looks almost identical to Riku, except his hair is shorter and brown. It's Kirux, of course._

 _..._

 _Back to the clock tower. Roxas and Axel fade away. Xion is alone, staring out at the sunset._

 _The screen continuously fades between Xion's and Kirux's faces._

 _Until it goes black._

 _..._

 _The first scenes of the last story start showing._

 _Kirux first meeting Riku and Ansem the Wise._ _Xemnas bringing Kirux into the Organization. Kirux's first time going up to the clock tower, with Axel and Roxas._ _His first encounter and battle with Ansem, inside his mind._

 _Kirux meeting Xion, after awakening from his fight with Ansem. Meeting Naminé, and seeing Sora's pod for the first time. First obtaining the Keyblade. Meeting up with Xion in a dream._

 _Xion collapsing on their mission with Roxas. The trip to Castle Oblivion, and Kirux leaving Xion behind. Their reunion up on the clock tower. Kirux's fight with Axel. Xion's conversation with Riku, and another encounter between Kirux and Ansem._

 _..._

 _The song picks up pace right where the climax of the last story was at._

 _Xion and Kirux's first battle, up at the Altar of Naught. You know how it ended._

 _Xion is defeated, and disappears. Kirux is heartbroken._

 _..._

 _The song picks up again, so the next part goes by faster._

 _Kirux goes into Sora's heart. Meets Vanitas and Ventus. Goes into Sora's darkness. Defeats Vanitas, and sets Xion free from Sora's heart. They run from Riku and the rest._

 _Kirux and Xion both battling Ansem. Kirux on the inside, Xion on the outside. They both fall into the realm of darkness._

 _Kirux meeting (and fighting) Maleficent, reuniting with Xion. Kirux confronting Maleficent again, and being sucked up into the portal._

 _Waking up in Radiant Garden, pushing back the army of Heartless. Saïx confronting him, and Sora saving him from destruction. Xion's meeting with Master Yen Sid._

 _..._

 _The fiasco at Olympus Coliseum. Kirux returning to the Organization, while Xion disposed of Demyx._

 _The two reuniting in Twilight Town, only to fight one another. Twice._

 _Xion breaking Kirux's heart, causing the Organization's hold to be broken._

 _Them reuniting again, in The World That Never Was._

 _..._

 _As the song heads towards its conclusion, the final scenes play out._

 _Xion and Kirux going to confront Xemnas, and failing miserably._

 _The two of them saying goodbye to Roxas and_ _Naminé, before being sucked into a dark pool._

 _Their final battle with Ansem. Xion giving Kirux some of her powers, granting him a new Keyblade._

 _Kirux finally disposing of Ansem, once and for all._

 _The two of them getting separated in the darkness, only to reunite again on Destiny Islands._

 _..._

 _The song is almost over._

 _Kirux and Xion are up on the clock tower, Kirux sitting to her left._

 _He looks over at her._

 _Faded out images of Axel and Roxas appear next to her..._

 _..._

 _Scene Ends_

* * *

 **Kingdom Hearts:  
Warriors of the Light**

* * *

 _ **Stop:**_ _ **Simple and Clean/Hikari Intro - KH1**_

* * *

 **How about that for an introduction?**

 **I really hope you all enjoyed that. I did my best. I wanted to have this up before the 28th (the day I started senior year of high school), but things didn't work out. But oh well.**

 **...**

 **So, follow if you're interested in what happens next. Favorite if you're a cool guy or gal. But EVERYONE leave a review, and let me know what you think.**

 **I'll see you soon, once the real fun begins.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	2. II - Mark of Mastery

**Hey everyone.**

 **Thanks to those who reviewed the first chapter. I'm glad you all like the intro I made. I debated including the lyrics, but decided against it last minute.**

 **Anyways, the story really begins here. These first few chapters are going to be short,** **as things will be building up for a little bit.**

 **You'll have to find out everything by reading, and I know you've been waiting to read for quite some time.**

 **So I won't waste your time. Enjoy.**

* * *

 _ **Play: Magical Mystery - KH2**_

* * *

"As a Keyblade Master, Xehanort had a gift like few others."

...

They were all in Master Yen Sid's chamber, at the Mysterious Tower. Master Yen Sid was sitting in his chair, as usual.

Sora and Riku stood before him, listening to his words intently. Mickey had summoned them as Yen Sid had requested, but Sora and Riku weren't informed on why they were there.

Speaking of Mickey, he was in the chamber as well. He was standing to the left (from Sora and Riku's perspective) of Yen Sid, Donald and Goofy standing behind him.

...

Master Yen Sid continued, "But such great minds are often plagued by a single great question. What is the essence of the human heart that weakens us, or empowers us?"

"The answer, he believe, would be found in the "Keyblade War.""

"What if the challenges of our past were, in fact, a map to the light and darkness that battles within us all?"

"Xehanort had to know, so he renounced his duties as master and chose the seeker's life."

...

"Since then, in many a guise, he has clashed with protectors of the light - Keyblade wielders like yourselves."

"And mark my words -"

...

"he will trouble us yet again."

"We must be ready."

...

...

...

"Which is why you, Sora and Riku, are to be tested for the mark of a true Keyblade master."

"No doubt you fancy yourselves masters already, but it takes years of training. Only a true master can teach you the proper way."

Yen Sid continued on, "Both of you are self-taught Keyblade wielders - an impressive feat."

"However, the time has come to let go of preconceived notions, forget what you know about the Keyblade, and begin your training again with a clean state."

Everyone was taken back, looking at Yen Sid in surprise.

...

Sora was the first to speak up, "But that's a formality, right? I already proved myself."

"Me and the King, and Riku - we can take on anything. Right Riku?"

Riku wasn't as enthusiastic with his response, "I don't know."

"Kirux may have taken most of it, but in my heart...darkness still has a hold.

...

Riku continued, "Walking that path changed me. I'm not sure if I'm ready to wield a Keyblade."

He looked back up at the Master, "Maybe I do need to be tested."

Sora frowned, "Riku..."

...

He turned back towards Yen Sid as well, "Then count me in. Put me through the test!"

Sora smiled, "Just watch-me and Riku will pass with flying colors!"

He leaned back, as he normally did.

...

Yen Sid nodded, as Sora stood up straight again, "Very well, then. Sora and Riku, let your examination begin."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Magical Mystery - KH2**_

 _ **Play: Treasured Memories - KH1**_

* * *

 _"After every mission, each day, I'd come up here and watch the sunset before I went back to the castle."_

 _..._

 _"Nobody or not, I'm still me! The darkness will never control who I am."_

 _..._

 _"But, I can't help but think that her and I have a special connection. I can't quite make out what it is, but I can just...sense it."_

 _..._

 _"I swear, I won't let them hurt you again."_

 _..._

 _"Anyone who tries to hurt my friends will have to go through me!"_

 _..._

 _"Wherever you go, I'm going with you. Whatever happens, I'll be there to help you. I promise you that."_

 _..._

 _"And...I need you. More than anything."_

 _..._

 _"Your connection with her is strong, almost as strong as Sora and Kairi."_

 _..._

 _"Alright. You've left me with no other choice."_

 _..._

 _"Come on, Kirux. It's simple. You're in love with Xion."_

 _..._

 _"You were all my best friends. And you...were so much more to me."_

 _..._

 _"I'm the only one who remembers her, and...I can't go five seconds without thinking about her."_

 _..._

 _"I've become a part of her heart, just as she's become apart of mine."_

 _..._

 _"And when something hurts you, it hurts me too."_

 _..._

 _"Tell me, boy. How could a girl love anybody that has so much darkness within him?"_

 _..._

 _"Never forget. I'm always with you."_

 _..._

 _"My friends are my power, and they always will be!"_

 _..._

 _"Maleficent was right. A person like you could never love someone like me."_

 _..._

 _"I know that you are my closest friend! My BEST friend! I know that you and I are supposed to be inseparable. Kirux, I loved you! I still do!"_

 _..._

 _"You've driven me away from all of the ones I care about!"_

 _..._

 _"Hey, of course we will. Sora will find a way to bring them back. I know he will._

* * *

 ** _Stop: Treasured Memories - KH1_**

* * *

Kirux shot up in bed, his forehead glistening in the moonlight.

Yes. Believe it or not, the sun does go down in Twilight Town.

...

Kirux wiped his forehead, "Man, not again."

He threw his legs off of the bed, "When are these dreams gonna stop?"

...

It's been a while since Sora and the gang defeated Xemnas. Kirux and Xion had gone to Twilight Town after that, and they've been there ever since.

They've been trying to let it all go, everything that happened in the past. To forget about it all, and start their lives anew.

And trust me, they're trying.

They ditched their Organization coats (even though they were hanging on the wall a few feet away). Kirux started letting his hair grow out, making him look even more like Riku.

As if they didn't look similar enough. Now, Kirux looked nearly identical to Riku back on his first journey.

And Xion was no different. If you put her side by side to Kairi, the only thing different about the two would be color (Xion's outfit was black instead of pink.)

...

Speaking of Xion, she started stirring from behind Kirux.

She sat up, "Are you okay?"

He nodded, "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Is it the dreams again?"

Kirux didn't respond.

...

She sat next to him, "Kirux, come on. Tell me about it."

He said nothing.

He felt one of her hands on his back.

"Please, Kirux. You know you can talk to me."

...

...

...

"It's...they're not..."

He looked over at her, "Are you sure?"

She nodded.

...

Kirux sighed, "Alright. Well, it's..."

"The dreams I keep having, they're like...reflections. They keep replaying events that happened in the past."

"Things like when I first left you, and I fought Axel, and...when I..."

He trailed off when he thought of Xion fading away. Her legs crystallizing, her final words...

...

She frowned, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

"It's just...I feel guilty, you know? I feel like I haven't made up for all of the things I did in the past."

"Not just to you, but...Roxas and Axel too."

...

Ah yes. Roxas and Axel.

Two names that have been in their thoughts all of this time.

Two names they've tried to forget about. Again, they're trying to start over.

But, best friends don't forget about each other, now matter how hard they try.

...

Kirux started speaking again, "I've been thinking, about them. And...I..."

"You want to bring them back." Xion interrupted.

"Exactly. But...I know you don't want to leave here."

"Well, yeah," she said, "I thought we agreed that we'd let Sora and the others handle everything."

"I know that, but..."

...

He looked down, "I just feel guilty sitting on the sidelines like this."

"You're probably upset with me about it, but...you understand, right?"

...

"Of course I do, and I'm not upset. I...just don't want to take the risk."

"I'm afra-," she stuttered.

"I'm afraid of what would happen to you. To us."

...

Kirux sighed, "I get it. I'll...I'll drop it."

"You don't have to drop it, just...you need more sleep."

She guided Kirux back into bed, wrapping one of her arms over his chest.

"Try not to think about it, alright?"

He only nodded in response.

...

Xion fell back asleep in no time.

Kirux, unfortunately, did not.

His mind continued to flash, images of the past going through his head.

...

Then, things changed.

A new image popped up in his mind, one that he did not recognize.

...

...

...

It was a massive, desert like area. No, not like Agrabah desert. Less sand and more rocks and hard surface.

A man was standing up on a tall ledge. He was old, and had a gray beard right on his chin. A purple orb of energy in his hand shot up into the sky.

The clouds cleared...

Kingdom Hearts appeared, only blue instead of yellow...

...

On the ground, a new man was on his knees. He was clad in orange and black armor.

He ripped his helmet off, revealing a man with spiky brown hair. No, it wasn't Sora. It was...someone new.

...

...

...

That was where the image faded.

Kirux shook his head, "This is stupid."

He closed his eyes.

...

...

...

 _Aqua...Ven..._

 _One day I will set things right._

* * *

 **I swear. There is not one person on Earth that ships Kirux and Xion more than I do. I mean, considering the fact that I made the pairing, it should kind of be expected...**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you thought in a review. Share it with your friends! If you have them, because...I don't...**

 **Lol. Just kidding. I'll see you all next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	3. III - Unchained Memories

**Welcome. Glad you could make it.**

 **Just a fair warning. If there isn't another chapter for a while, it's because of Hurricane Irma. No, I'm not in Florida, and I think I should be fine. But you never know.**

 **If anything does happen, then...**

 **I'll talk about it in the end.**

 **Anyway, here's chapter three. Enjoy.**

* * *

Kirux was walking through the Tram Common area. It was still early in the day, and none of the shops were open. The job board was empty for the time being.

He didn't care about any of that though. Right now, he was heading to the mansion.

...

After what had happened a few nights ago, his talk with Xion about the dreams, they've only gotten more weirder.

The same two men from that same night appeared more and more frequently. It was always the same.

Man makes Kingdom Hearts appear. Other rips helmet off of his head.

Same thing, over and over again.

...

He never told Xion about it. She was already really concerned about him before, there was no need to make it even worse.

Xion was kind of a paranoid nutcase, to be completely honest. Anytime something seemed like it was wrong, she would make it a big deal.

At first, Kirux found it hilarious. But now, it was just kind of...annoying.

He'd never tell her that though.

...

As for why he was going to the mansion, well...

He couldn't really tell you that. He just wanted to get away, and find somewhere private.

You would probably say "Why not the clock tower?"

And you're right. He could go there, but the only problem is that that is normally the first place Xion would look if she needed to find him.

And Kirux didn't want Xion to find him, at least not at the moment.

...

As he approached, one vivid memory stood out.

...

He was walking up to the mansion, just like he normally did in the past.

He walked inside, calling for Xion.

...

 _'It's that daydream I had, the day Xion got taken away.'_

 _'The day that I...'_

...

He didn't finish that thought, or going through that memory.

It had all been a fragmentation. None of it had actually happened, no matter how much he hoped it had.

It brought back nothing he wanted to remember.

...

He pushed the doors open to the mansion.

Everything was exactly the same. It was all just as he had remembered it.

None of it brought back any happy memories.

...

He moved on, finding his way to Naminé's old room. Again, none of the furniture was any different.

Only one thing had changed.

All of Naminé's pictures. They were gone.

...

Kirux had no idea what had happened to them.

It's just like they vanished, without a single trace.

He didn't know anybody that would want to take them away.

It didn't matter. Again, only bad memories came from those pictures.

...

Kirux left the room.

He found his way into DiZ's old computer room.

...

Still, the memories flowed.

He shook his head.

...

...

...

Kirux was traumatized by what he had done back then.

Constantly lying to his friends about what he did.

Breaking apart the group, all to wake up Sora.

Yeah, he did restore peace to the worlds, but...at what cost?

...

Oh yeah. Roxas and Axel.

Two of his only friends.

...

He didn't show it often, but Kirux loved them both. Not the same way as he did Xion, obviously.

But...to Kirux, Roxas and Axel were like his brothers.

All four of them were...pretty much family.

...

It made him tear up a bit, as he thought of it.

"Why am I still here?" He said to himself.

"I need to leave, before things get worse."

...

And he did. He immediately ran back to the mansion foyer.

* * *

The area began to blur and wobble.

Before he could register what was happening, he was in a new area.

...

 _'No. It...can't be.'_

...

That same place from the dreams. The same desert like area.

When he looked to his left, he gasped.

...

It was him.

The man in the armor, except he wasn't in his armor right now.

The other one, the older one, was to Kirux's right.

...

"What..?" He said to himself.

"What's going on?!" He yelled.

...

The men didn't do anything. The younger one began walking towards Kirux, before a pillar of light appeared behind him.

The older one gasped in delight, "There! You see!"

"The _x-_ blade has been forged!"

...

"Ven!"

...

"Wait a minute. You know Ven?" Kirux said.

The man didn't respond.

"Who am I kidding? They're not going to answer me."

"It's just a dream. No...a _nightmare_."

...

The old man stood up, turning his Keyblade towards himself, "And now, Terra, it is time for the final union!"

He stabbed himself in the chest.

"Terra" turned around, "What?"

"At last, our moment is here."

...

The Keyblade disappeared, and his heart popped out of his chest.

"Out with the old and brittle vessel, and in with a younger, stronger new one!"

Kirux couldn't believe what he was seeing.

...

"I swore I would survive...and be there to see what awaited beyond the Keyblade War!"

...

"Keyblade War? What...?"

...

"And now it is your darkness that shall be the ark that sustains me!"

He launched his heart towards Terra.

Towards Kirux.

...

"NO!" He yelled.

...

The heart came closer to him.

He covered his face with both arms.

* * *

 _"Kirux! Come on, get up!"_

Kirux shot straight upward. His breath came in short bursts, as he looked around.

...

He was in the mansion again.

And Xion was at his side.

...

She spoke to him, "Hey. Calm down. It's okay. You're fine."

When his breathing didn't slow down, she turned his head towards her.

She rest her forehead against his, "Hey. Look at me. Look at _me_. You're safe."

...

He touched her cheek lightly, just to make sure it was real.

Just to see he wasn't dreaming anymore.

...

It took him a few seconds to register that he was actually awake, and she was actually in front of him.

Kirux sighed heavily, "Xion..."

...

She picked him up, "Come on. Let's get you home."

She half carried, half guided back to their so-called "home."

...

 _'This place...isn't home.'_ He found himself thinking.

 _'It's a prison, to keep me stuck here.'_

...

"Can you tell me what happened?" She said.

Kirux was looking down at his feet.

"Kirux?"

...

"Sorry. It's just..."

"Have you ever heard of the Keyblade War?"

She looked at him in confusion, "No. Why?"

"Well, I had a vision in the mansion. There were these two men, and...one of them mentioned "seeing what lies beyond the Keyblade War.""

...

"I don't know why, but...these dreams I keep having. Some of the memories I see in them, they...don't belong to me."

"It's like what happened to you with Sora. I feel like a part of somebody else has made it's way inside me. And...I don't know what to do."

...

"Kirux, I don't know what to say."

"Xion, I really think we need to go."

"Huh?"

"You know what I mean. I want to leave Twilight Town."

...

"You mean leave everything we have? Kirux, why do you-,"

"Because, I'm sick of it! I don't sleep at night anymore! I have dreams of memories that aren't even my own!"

He continued, "I...miss Roxas and Axel. I want to help them! I want to SAVE them! I am sick and tired of sitting here in this town, not doing anything useful!"

...

When he looked back at Xion, she had tears in her eyes.

"No," he started, "No no no, Xion. I-,"

"Is...that really how you've felt this whole time?"

"Xion, please don't."

"How come I-,"

...

"Hey, no. It's not your fault, Xion."

"It is, Kirux. I...never asked what you were feeling, ever. I just...pushed it all away, because I thought you'd get over it."

"All I wanted is to forget about everything, Kirux. _Everything_. I-,"

...

Kirux pushed her tears away, "Hey, don't do that to yourself."

She looked up at him, "I'm sorry, Kirux. I shouldn't have been so...so...selfish."

"You're not selfish, Xion. If I were you, I'd want the same thing."

...

"You don't even know what I want."

"What is it? Anything. I promise, I'll get it for you."

...

...

...

She looked back up at him, "You. I want you, Kirux. N-not in that way."

Kirux smiled.

...

He kissed her forehead, "I love you."

"I love you too."

...

...

...

Eventually, Kirux coaxed her into laying down. Her head was rested in the crook of his neck, her hand on his chest.

"So," he said, "Do you want to leave or not? Whatever you want."

"I...I need time to think about it. Okay?"

"Okay. That's fine."

...

 _'I'm sorry, Xion.'_

 _'But there's no more time for waiting.'_

 _'I'm getting out of this stupid town, and I'm gonna find out who these memories belong to.'_

* * *

 **Okay, we're done here.**

 **Now, as for what I was going to say.**

 **...**

 **There is a big possibility that Hurricane Irma is going to hit the east coast, and potentially where I live. My state is currently under a state of emergency because of it.**

 **I don't know what's going to happen, just like I didn't know what was going to happen last year with Hurricane Matthew. While everything turned out fine last year, you still get my point.**

 **If something does happen to me or my home, and I don't end up updating for quite some time.**

 **Then I'm giving anybody who is reading this chapter full permission to use Kirux in their stories.**

 **This isn't a joke. I'm completely serious.**

 **You see, I created Kirux because I care about him as a character. And, if I don't allow his own legacy to continue, then I have completely failed him as a writer.**

 **So, anybody who is reading this can use Kirux in their stories. I don't care what it is, just...keep his story going.**

 **Don't worry about this story, because I'll take care of it. The main concern is Kirux, and only Kirux.**

 **Even if Irma doesn't end up affecting me, I'm still allowing anybody to use him. If you do, I will forever be thankful.**

 **...**

 **Now, I'll see you next time. Whenever next time is.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	4. IV - A New Journey

**So, this might be the last chapter before Irma.**

 **My word on letting people use Kirux still stands (and it will until I say otherwise. It's like medal deals in Union X, where it's only available for a certain amount of time), and here's hoping I don't get affected by the storm at all. If you live in Florida, please stay safe. We're all praying for you.**

 **Anyways, here's chapter four. This is the final chapter of the build up.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

"I...I just don't know, you three. I feel like everyday, he's growing more and more distant."

...

Xion was in "The Usual Spot," just underneath the train tracks. Hayner, Pence, and Olette were all there as they normally were.

It had been two days since she found Kirux in the mansion, unconscious. Ever since, she's been trying to get him to talk more about what he had seen.

Every time, Kirux would either not answer and change the subject, or just say "I don't want to talk about it."

Just yesterday, when she asked for what felt like the hundredth time, Kirux got angry at her.

...

"For the last time, Xion! I don't want to talk about it! What don't you get about that?!"

...

He stormed out of the room after that. Xion hasn't talked with him since. He didn't say anything to her the night before.

...

"I think," she said, "I think I'm losing him."

Olette spoke up, "Do you think he's really going to leave town?"

"That's the thing. I don't know because he won't talk to me."

"Here's what I think," Hayner started, "I think that Kirux is planning to leave town without you."

"If he hasn't talked to you, then it's pretty obvious. He sees you as an obstacle, and...well. You get what I'm saying."

...

"Hayner, don't be stupid." Olette responded, "You know how close they are. Kirux would never think like that."

"Xion," Pence started, "Do you know Kirux wants?"

...

She shrugged, "He wants to leave, and find out what's going on with his memory."

"Okay. Now, what do _you_ want?"

...

"I..." she stuttered.

"I want to be with him. Kirux...he means the entire world to me. If I lost him, then...my world would be destroyed."

"Then what I think you should do," Pence said, "Is show him. Show Kirux how much he means to you, and maybe, he'll change his mind."

"How am I gonna do that?"

Pence shrugged, "I'll leave that to you."

...

Xion thought for a second.

 _'How do I make him see how much he means to me?'_

 _'I can't think of anything without having to ha-,'_

She didn't finish that thought.

...

Xion stood up, "I know what I've got to do."

"Really? What?"

She smiled, "It's a secret. But thanks you three."

...

Xion left.

...

"Wonder what she's going to do."

Hayner shrugged, "Who knows. Hope it works."

* * *

"Who are you?" Riku said, walking closer to the hooded man. Pinocchio and Jiminy were standing behind him.

The figure slowly removed his hood.

Riku couldn't believe who it was.

...

It was...him.

The one that embodies the darkness in his heart.

His Nobody. Kirux.

...

"Kirux?!" He said, stunned.

A dark portal formed behind Kirux, who turned and walked into it.

Riku ran towards him, but the portal closed just as he arrived.

...

Jiminy stood beside him, "As I live and breath. He looked exactly liked you."

* * *

 _ **Play: Riku - KH2**_

* * *

"That...that's my dark side."

...

"I gave in to the darkness once. And ever since it's chased me around in one way or another."

He clutched his hand over his heart, "The seeker of darkness who stole my body. A puppet replica built around the shadows of my heart."

"And now, a...Nobody that embodies all of the mistakes I made in the past."

"It's like...I'm facing me."

...

Now, don't take what Riku said about Kirux the wrong way.

It wasn't that Kirux was making all of the wrong decisions.

...

It was that Riku wanted to be more like Kirux. Following what his heart commands, being with the ones he cares about.

Not chasing the darkness.

...

Okay, Kirux did do that a bit. That was another area they were similar.

But in a way, Riku was...envious of Kirux.

Because he embodied everything he should have done.

* * *

Kirux walked down the hallway towards their room.

...

He hadn't seen Xion all day, except for when he woke up in the morning.

He knew he should apologize to her. He lashed out at her, even though she was just asking a normal question.

Sure, it annoyed him quite a bit that she constantly asked him about it, but still. His reaction was uncalled for.

He twisted the doorknob, finding Xion sitting on their bed.

...

"Hey," he waved halfheartedly, "How...long have you been here?"

She shrugged, "A little while."

...

"Look, Xion," he began, walking up to her "I'm sorry, for...what I said yesterday. I shouldn't have lashed out at you."

"I know you're just worried about me, and...I'm sorry."

...

She said nothing.

She stood up, the two of them only being a few inches apart.

...

"I'm sorry too, Kirux. I shouldn't have pushed you like that."

"I just...You mean the world to me, Kirux. I mean that. I wouldn't have anything if I didn't have you."

"And...and I..."

...

She didn't finish her sentence.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. It took Kirux a few seconds for him to actually kiss her back.

His arms went around her waist, pulling them closer together. Their bodies touched, which caused Xion to moan lightly.

...

She finally pulled back after a few minutes.

"I...want you, Kirux."

"In _that_ way?"

...

She nodded.

...

Kirux didn't know what to say or how to react.

...

 _'Wow. I...didn't think she'd want this.'_

 _'What am I supposed to do? What do I say?'_

 _'Man, I have no idea.'_

...

"Kirux? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm here, just..."

He looked down.

...

She spoke again, "Don't worry. I...don't know what to do either."

"Well, that really helps."

She giggled lightly.

...

 _'I guess I'll just...do this.'_ He thought to himself.

...

Kirux kissed her again, running one of his hands into her hair.

Xion fell back onto the bed, letting Kirux land on top of her.

...

 _'You better enjoy this while you can.'_ He thought to himself.

* * *

 **Aaaaaaand we're stopping that scene there, because we're keeping this story rated T.**

 **Sorry for teasing you all. Or am I? :)**

 **Anyways, let's keep going.**

* * *

 _ **Stop: Riku - KH2**_

* * *

It had been a few hours. Kirux was walking up Market Street towards Station Plaza. The moonlight and street lamps were his only guide.

...

He was wearing his Organization coat.

After him and Xion had done...whatever they had done, she fell asleep. Kirux took that opportunity to go.

...

...

...

He said there wasn't any time to wait.

Kirux had waited long enough.

* * *

Xion woke up, her hair a complete mess.

When she looked out the window, she could see the moon was still out.

...

She felt the opposite side of the bed, not finding Kirux.

But instead, a sheet of paper.

...

In the moonlight, she read it.

...

 _Xion,_

 _I'm really sorry. I know you wanted to wait and think it over._

 _But I've waited long enough. These memories don't belong to me, and I'm going to find out who they do belong to._

 _I'm going to save Roxas and Axel. Whatever it takes, I'll bring them back._

 _..._

 _I know you wanted to leave the past behind, and start over._

 _But that's not possible._

 _You can't ever escape your past. I've learned that now._

 _What we can do...is change the future._

 _And that starts with leaving Twilight Town._

 _..._

 _Again, I'm sorry for leaving._ _I love you, Xion. I always will._

 _Never forget. I'm always with you._

 _-Kirux_

...

She sighed.

She crumbled the letter up, throwing it at the wall.

...

...

...

It hit her coat, which was hanging on the wall alone.

Kirux had taken his.

...

She looked down.

"Forget it. He's right."

* * *

Kirux was standing with the clock tower to his back.

He put his hand before him.

...

His Keyblade appeared in his hand.

"Thank goodness." He said to himself.

...

"Kirux!"

He looked over, Xion running over towards him.

She was wearing her Organization coat as well.

...

"Wha-what are you doing here?"

She stopped before him, "Kirux, did you really think I wasn't going to come with you?"

...

"I thought you wanted to stay."

"I do, but...you're right. We can't escape what happened in the past."

She smiled, "Besides, do you even know where to go?"

...

...

...

Kirux rubbed his hair, "Now that you mention it...no."

She laughed, "I figured."

"Oh, hush."

...

Her own Keyblade appeared in her hands, "I know where we should go."

"Where?"

"We've got to go see Master Yen Sid. Maybe he'll have some answers."

* * *

 **There we go.**

 **Let me know what you thought.**

 **I'll see you next time!**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	5. V - Into the Sleeping Realm

**Welp. I'm back.**

 **Two good things. One: It's now predicted that Irma will now miss my home state entirely.**

 **And two: Football is finally back. lol**

 **On a serious note, if you live in Florida, PLEASE be safe. We are all thinking about you, and I hope you are all okay from the storm.**

 **Anyways, the build up is over. Let's get on with the story.**

* * *

"Gee, I hope Sora's okay."

"He'll be just fine as long as Riku's with him."

...

Donald and Goofy were both staring out the crescent window. King Mickey was looking over books on the shelf. Master Yen Sid was still in his chair.

It had been a long time since Sora and Riku departed for their Mark of Mastery exam. The four of them had been waiting in the chamber ever since.

Yen Sid was keeping a close eye on Sora and Riku, but there was a problem.

His last few attempts to locate them have come with mixed results.

...

Translation: Yen Sid was uncertain about where Sora and Riku were.

And that, obviously, was an issue.

If Yen Sid was in the blind, then that left Xehanort an opportunity.

One that he most certainly would take.

...

Mickey got a thought in his head.

"You don't think - No!"

He turned around, "Master Yen Sid!"

...

A bird flew in through the window, right past Donald and Goofy.

"Look, it's a raven!"

"Uh-oh!"

* * *

 _ **Play: Villains of a Sort - KH1**_

* * *

"That raven is Maleficent's."

"What's it got?"

...

The bird dropped two items onto Yen Sid's desk. A rolled up piece of paper, and a crown.

Mickey recognized the crown, "Why, that's Minnie's."

Mickey quickly read over the letter.

...

...

...

"Well?"

Mickey gasped lightly, prompting a response from Goofy, "Gawrsh, what's it say?"

...

"It's from Maleficent. She's kidnapped Minnie."

Donald and Goofy were both taken back, "She took Queen Minnie?"

"The letter says for me to return to Disney Castle...or else."

...

Yen Sid spoke, "Mickey, there is no time to waste."

He nodded, "Okay..."

He turned to Donald and Goofy, "you fellas stay here."

...

Donald and Goofy both stood tall, saluted, and spoke, "King Mickey, we're going with you!"

"Gosh...I guess you're right, pals. We friends need to stick together."

"Master Yen Sid, we'll be back!"

...

The three of them left the chamber. In no time at all, the Gummi Ship sailed away.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Villains of a Sort - KH1**_

* * *

Master Yen Sid looked down, "The timing is too perfect, too calculated."

"Maleficent must sense a change in the forces of darkness."

...

"A change...like Xehanort."

* * *

 _ **Play: Magical Mystery - KH2**_

* * *

The portal appeared at the bottom of the stairs to the tower.

Kirux was the first to step out, Xion right behind him.

...

He turned around, "Now, are you _sure_ this is the right place?"

"Yes. I'm sure."

"Positive? One-hundred percent?"

...

She looked down, "Look, I'm sorry. It's been a while since I've used the corridors, okay."

"Well," he said, "You could have said that at Radiant Garden,"

"I _did_ say that. You just chose not to listen."

"And Olympus Coliseum,"

"You're a jerk, you know that?"

"AND when you took us BACK to Twilight Town."

...

She sighed, "Why am I friends with you?"

He smiled, "Because you love me."

"No I don't."

"Yeah you do."

"Not anymore."

He laughed, "Alright then. You'll change your mind again soon enough."

He walked up the stairs, "Are you coming or not? He doesn't know me."

...

She shook her head, "Why do I keep getting dragged into his messes?" She said to herself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

She walked with him into the tower.

...

...

...

"So, how did you first meet this guy?" Kirux asked as they walked up.

"You mean the Master?"

He nodded, "Who else would I be talking about?"

"Enough with the sarcasm."

He laughed.

...

"Anyways, I woke up here after we got out of the realm of darkness. It was him that told me to go out and find you."

"It was where I came...after you left, in the Underworld."

"Really?"

"I didn't know where else to go?"

"Oh...I'm sorry, Xion."

"Don't be. It's...all in the past."

...

...

...

Finally, they reached the door to Yen Sid's chamber.

"This is it. When we go in, let me do the talking please."

"Do you think he'll know who I am?"

"Kirux, he's a powerful sorcerer AND a former Keyblade master. I think he'll know."

...

She opened the door slowly, "Master Yen Sid."

When her and Kirux entered, Yen Sid was alone with his eyes closed.

"Sorry if I interrupted anything, it's just..."

"We need your help." Kirux said.

...

"What did I say?" She whispered to him.

"I'm sorry. You were just really hesitant."

"I had everything under control."

"Not from my perspective."

...

Yen Sid cleared his throat, interrupting their little argument.

"I believe there is something you two needed. And hello to you, Kirux."

Kirux responded nervously, "Umm...it's an...honor, sir."

Yen Sid smiled, "There's no need to be nervous. I have learned a great deal about you,"

"And might I say, your actions in the past were rather...questionable to me."

...

Xion laughed lightly, as Kirux looked down in embarrassment.

"Anyways. You said you need my help. Correct Xion?"

She nodded, "Yes. You see, two of our friends were...destroyed one Sora's last journey. And well...we want to bring them back. Is there anything you can tell us, so that we can?"

Kirux looked back up at the master.

...

"Unfortunately, bringing a Nobody back into the world would require the destruction of their somebody. You wish to bring back Roxas, am I correct?"

Kirux spoke this time, "Yes. Him and Axel."

"I am unfamiliar with Axel, but I do know the story behind Roxas. Such a tragic case, he is. All he ever wanted was to be his own person, with his three best friends."

...

Kirux looked at the ground, "I know. It's...my fault."

"Don't be harsh on yourself, Kirux. What you did was the best thing for the world."

He continued to look down at the ground.

...

"Anyways, bringing back Roxas is not a task I can help you with. But, I believe there may be something else I can help you with."

"It concerns your memories, Kirux."

He looked back up, "How...do you know about that?"

"Remember what I told you, Kirux. He knows a lot more than you may think."

...

"Yes. Now please, tell me about these memories of yours."

Kirux was hesitant, and Xion had to nudge him multiple times just to get him to speak.

...

...

...

"Well," he started, "These memories only show up in visions or dreams. They...they don't belong to me. They must belong to either this guy named Terra, or...some old man named Xehanort."

Yen Sid considered this as Kirux continued, "It's always the same thing, too. It's always Xehanort forcing his heart inside of Terra's body, or their fight before. Never anything different."

"Please, do you know anything about them? It's been killing me on the inside for so long."

...

Yen Sid began, "Long ago, Terra was one of three pupils that confronted Xehanort in his quest for the ancient _χ_ -blade. Terra, Ventus, and Aqua all suffered terrible fates."

"Master Aqua was trapped in the realm of darkness for over a decade, until you two came along."

Xion interrupted, "Has she awoken yet?"

Yen Sid nodded, "Yes, but...she's still recovering, being in the darkness as long as she was."

"Now, the fates of Ventus and Terra unfortunately...we do not know about."

...

"But," Xion said, "We met Ven inside of Sora's heart."

"Yeah. She's right."

...

"Did you now?"

They both nodded.

"Then that leaves only Terra. If only we knew where his heart was..."

...

...

...

"Kirux and Xion. I believe your answers will reside in only one place."

"Where's that?"

"The Realm of Sleep. Inside the Sleeping Worlds."

They were both confused, "The...what?"

...

"After Sora's first journey, many worlds were returned to the realm of light. However, many worlds never returned fully. These worlds are known as the Sleeping Worlds."

"Sora and Riku are currently inside the Sleeping Worlds on their Mark of Mastery exam. They are trying to earn a new kind of power, one that I believe you two must obtain as well."

"Okay," Xion said, "How do we get there?"

...

"Unfortunately, getting into the Sleeping Worlds may not be as easy for you. Sora and Riku had to go back in time to enter. For you both, that is simply not possible to do."

"However, if you both use your Keyblades, you may be able to enter the realm."

...

...

...

"Okay," Kirux said, "Let's go."

"One moment," Yen Sid, stopping him in his tracks, "That is not all."

"In the Sleeping Worlds, there are no Heartless as there are barriers that prevent them from entering. However, these worlds have their own forms of darkness."

"They are called "Dream Eaters," and there are two different kinds."

"Nightmares, which devour happy dreams. And benevolent Spirits, who consume the Nightmares. The Dream Eaters will guide you in your journey."

...

"Speaking of which, what exactly what will be looking for?" Xion asked.

"Each of the worlds contains a Keyhole. Simply by unlocking all seven of these Keyholes, you will both obtain a brand new power, just like Sora and Riku."

...

...

...

"So we go in, follow these "Dream Eaters," find the Keyhole, and move on?"

"Precisely."

...

Kirux looked down, "How is that gonna help me figure out the problem with my memory?"

"That will take more time, time that we do not have. I suggest you both leave at once."

"We will," Xion said, "Let's go, Kirux."

She grabbed his hand, and dragged him out of the chamber.

"Thank you, Master Yen Sid."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Magical Mystery - KH2**_

* * *

"Are you sure about all of that?" He asked her, as she walked back onto the grass.

She turned around to him, "Kirux, what other option do we have?"

"There has to be some other way."

"There is no other way, Kirux. We have to do this?"

...

"Don't you want to bring back Axel and Roxas?"

"More than anything."

"Then let's go. Kirux, you can trust Master Yen Sid. He knows what he's talking about."

...

...

...

Kirux finally nodded. He walked forward and stood next to her, on the edge of the land.

Both of their Keyblades appeared in their hands. They both held them out before them.

...

A Keyhole appeared in the sky.

"See?" Xion teased.

...

Beams of light shot out from their Keyblades, shooting straight into the Keyhole.

As the beam of light grew brighter, Kirux turned to Xion.

...

"Whatever happens, just know that...I love you."

She smiled, "I love you too, Kirux."

They were both blinded by the light.

* * *

"You used the darkness to get here? That was reckless."

...

"But gosh, I didn't expect you to save us..."

"Axel."

...

He smiled, "Axel didn't."

"My name is Lea. Got it memorized?"

* * *

 **There we go. The journey begins...**

 **Don't forget to follow and favorite if you're enjoying the story, let me know what you think in a review.**

 **I'll see you next time!**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	6. VI - Traverse Town I - Part I

**Hey again. Here we are, in the Sleeping Worlds.**

 **No, no sleeping for you. You've got to read the story and find out what happens.**

 **Now, here is how it's going to work. We'll see what happens for one of the two (the two being Kirux and Xion, obviously), and when their side is done, we'll switch over to the other.**

 **Got it? Good. For this one, we're starting with Xion.**

 **Let's get going.**

* * *

Xion's eyes slowly opened up. When they were fully opened, she looked around the surrounding area.

...

She was in a town, one that sort of resembled Twilight Town.

"Huh? Isn't this..."

...

She tried to remember from when she had Sora's memories.

 _'What's it called? What's it called?'_

 _'I know it. It's on the tip of my tongue.'_

...

Finally, the name popped up in her head.

"Traverse Town. That's right."

...

That was when she noticed something different about her attire.

"Hey, what happened to my coat?"

...

What was once a solid black coat know had swirls of white all around it. It went up her sides, breaking off and spiraling in on itself near her feet and at the front of her legs.

On her back, a symbol was displayed. It had the shape of a heart, but looked more detailed.

"Guess it's just some of Master Yen Sid's magic."

...

In the distance, a boy in purple bounced off of the walls towards Xion's position.

* * *

 **Entered New World: Traverse Town**

* * *

She noticed it then.

Kirux was nowhere close.

...

"What happened to Kirux?"

She hopped onto the ledge in front of her.

"Kirux! Kirux, where are you?"

...

"Quiet." A voice said to her left.

"Man, you couldn't make any more noise."

* * *

 _ **Play: Twister - Kingdom Mix - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

When Xion noticed the boy, she fell to the ground below.

...

She slowly raised herself back up, as the boy landed in front of her.

He had a purple and black shirt, white shorts, and a pair of purple headphones over his ears. His hair was spiky, like Sora's, only orange.

"You're Xion, right?"

...

"Umm, yeah. How...do you know that?" She asked, as he walked up to her.

He grabbed her hand, flipping it over to see her palm.

"Looks like you aren't a player."

"A player?"

...

"Come on, keep up. In the Game."

He put his other hand out, where dark numbers were displayed, minutes and seconds. The seconds continued to go down, because...of course they did.

"Players here get marked with a time limit. And this game isn't ordinary. I can't afford to lose it."

"I need to find my Game Partner."

...

Xion pulled her hand back, "Okay. Well..."

"I don't know about any "Game," but...is there any way that I can help?"

...

The boy seemed confused, "Wait a second, time out. Do you normally trust every total stranger you know?"

"Well, you don't seem like someone I can't trust."

He shook his head, "Whatever. Sorry, you're no good. You're not a Player. And my pact is already with someone else."

"Okay, so we can't be partners. Well, why don't I just help you out? You know, as a friend?"

...

He turned around, "Now we're friends? Look Xion, it isn't _that_ easy."

She smiled.

 _'This guy is just like Kirux, in a lot of ways.'_

...

"I'm not saying it is, but you can make it easier."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say."

"Alright then. Lead the way!"

...

The boy grabbed the lamp post in front of him, spinning around a few times. He then dashed towards the handrail by the stairs, before sailing off.

Xion was stunned, and that would be putting it lightly.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Twister - Kingdom Mix - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"I wonder..." she said, her Keyblade appearing in her hand.

She did the same thing he did, and jumped into the pole.

Sure enough, her Keyblade allowed her to spin around at crazy fast speeds.

After a few seconds, she landed back on the ground.

...

Her eyes were so wide at the end.

"What was that?"

"It's called Flowmotion." She heard the boy say from a far.

"It's helpful for getting around. If you can, use it often."

He ran off.

...

"Flowmotion, huh?"

She smiled, "Might as well keep doing it."

She dashed at the poll, and vaulted over towards where the boy was last at.

She kept using it until she got to a large pair of double doors.

Honestly, she didn't want to stop using it. It was actually a lot of fun getting around really fast.

...

She decided to walk the rest of the way, and found herself in the "Second District."

It was there she found him again.

"Hey, wait up."

He turned around towards her, "I...didn't get your name back there."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Before he could respond, monsters formed around the two of them.

"Dream Eaters!"

...

"These things...there the ones that Master Yen Sid mentioned."

"What?"

"Nothing."

...

He jumped back, putting his hand forwards. A Dream Eater formed in front of him, one that looked a lot like a cat.

It chased off a few of the Dream Eaters, the boy following.

"We can't let them surround us! We should split up!"

"Got it."

...

Her Keyblade appeared, as the boy spoke again.

"Oh, and...um...it's Neku."

"Huh?"

"Neku Sakuraba. You asked."

"Neku Sakuraba..."

...

She smiled at him, "That's a mouthful!"

"No, it really isn't."

She laughed, "Come on, Neku. Let's take 'em!"

He smiled, and ran off.

...

Xion ran at the Dream Eaters, attacking the fat one that was closest.

The bats weren't any issue for her. The fat ones were also very weak.

She shot at one with a fire spell, causing the Dream Eater to run around in a panic.

 _'Fat ones are afraid of fire. Better remember that.'_

...

After she took down the first group, two panda like Dream Eaters appeared.

They were tougher to take down, and actually put up a decent fight against Xion.

She got an idea then.

 _'I wonder if I can use Flowmotion against these guys.'_

...

As it turned out, she could. She threw one of the pandas into the other, both of them disappearing immediately.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Dream Eaters - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Neku returned, his Dream Eater at his side.

"So," Xion started, "These things with you. Are they Dream Eaters too?"

"Yeah," he responded, the Spirit frolicking around, "If I'm gonna survive the Game, I'm gonna need some extra help."

"Do you think you'll be able to control them?"

...

"Sure...I guess."

...

"Here. Give it a try."

Neku handed her some fragments. Some of them were green and blue, in a tornado like shape. The others were more simple: orange, brown, and green in a circular shape.

"Just put them all together, and you'll have yourself a Spirit."

"Okay..."

...

...

...

A burst of light appeared.

Where the fragments once were, a Dream Eater now stood there. It bounced around in happiness when Xion crouched down in front of it.

"There you go. You've just made your first Spirit."

She smiled, "Yeah. They're...kind of cute, actually."

"Just make sure you take care of them. They're gonna be your closest allies."

She stopped petting her new Spirit, "Okay."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Dream Eaters - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

 **Spirit Acquired: Meow Wow**

* * *

Neku and Xion made their way into a new area.

Neku had stopped walking in the center of the area, Xion was right behind him.

...

"I brought Xion! We had a bargain!"

"What do you mean, Neku?"

...

"Sorry, Xion..."

* * *

 _ **Play: Shaded Truths - KH Birth By Sleep**_

* * *

Footsteps approached from the area they had just come from.

When Xion noticed who it was, she was stunned.

A person in a black coat was there, a coat she recognized all too well.

...

Organization XIII.

"No way!" She said, her Keyblade appearing in her hands.

Whoever it was jumped towards her and Neku.

...

"Hey! That wasn't the deal! You said you wouldn't hurt her!"

He jumped up, the man in black grabbing him.

...

"Neku, no! They're too dangerous!"

She went to go help him, but she felt herself getting tired.

Her vision began to blur.

...

"Why am I...so...sleepy..."

...

Before she knew it, she had collapsed to the ground. Her last vision was Neku, standing before the one in black.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Shaded Truths - KH Birth By Sleep**_

* * *

His eyes opened up to a new area, in a new town.

"Where...where am I?"

He looked down at his coat.

"My coat looks different. Must be the Master's magic."

...

The design was exactly the same as Xion's, only the color was light gray instead of white.

...

It was then he noticed, he was alone.

Xion wasn't with him.

"Xion! Where are you?"

...

He turned around, "I remember her dragging me out of Yen Sid's tower, and then we opened that Keyhole."

"So, this must be one of the Sleeping Worlds."

...

He looked down at his hand, "He said that I'll be able to get a new power, one that will let me find out the mystery behind these memories."

"Right. Let's get started."

...

"Wow! Where's your portal?"

Kirux looked up, finding a boy sitting on the ledge, "It takes something special to jump between grounds without one."

* * *

 _ **Play: Calling - Kingdom Mix - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"Who are you?"

"My name is Joshua."

"What do you mean by "portal"?"

"I'm sorry. Are we just gonna skip past the part where you tell me your name?"

...

"Kirux."

Joshua laughed, "Why hello there, Kirux. You see, portals are like gateways that link together our worlds. Apparently, the world you and I are standing in right now - Traverse Town - well, there are two copies of it. It's been sort of split in half. Portals are what folks like us cross between them."

...

Kirux was confused, "There can be two of a world?"

"The world is as many things as people need it to be. The concept that we all live in the same world - that's just in our heads. Surely you knew that?"

Joshua smiled, "Say, Kirux. I've got a little errand for you."

...

Kirux turned and walked away, "Sorry. I don't trust you."

Joshua laughed lightly, "Aw, at least hear me out! I'm looking for a girl named Rhyme. She's the key to the Portal. And if she's on the other side, who knows what we'll find?"

"Maybe even your beloved friend...Xion."

...

That got Kirux's attention.

He turned back around, "You know Xion?"

Joshua laughed, "Now I have your attention."

He jumped down, "Unfortunately, I don't know where she is. If she isn't in this version of the world, I can only assume she's in the other. Simple logic."

...

Kirux thought it over for a second.

 _'I don't know about this guy. There's...something off about him.'_

 _'But, I do have to find Xion somehow. He seems like my only option.'_

...

"Okay. You want to find Rhyme?"

"You got it. Let's go."

...

...

...

Monsters appeared from behind Kirux.

"I was wondering when they were going to show up." Joshua said.

"Let me handle them." Kirux said, summoning his Keyblade and running at them.

...

As he fought the enemies, Joshua called to him.

"Kirux. Try throwing yourself at a wall."

"What?"

"Just do it. You'll be fairly surprised."

...

Kirux complied, and was stunned to see himself vault high up in the air.

"You're done!" He said, before slamming the ground with his Keyblade.

...

Some formed around Joshua, but they didn't attack him, much to Kirux's dismay.

He dealt with them quickly, watching Joshua walk past him.

...

"That was called Flowmotion. Use it every once in a while to get around."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Calling - Kingdom Mix - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"Hey Joshua," Kirux said, as he caught up to him, "How come they didn't attack you?"

""They" meaning the Dream Eaters? Well, they won't attack you unless you're a dreamer. Which is funny, because...I've got plenty of dreams."

...

Kirux looked down, "Well, they're definitely attacking me."

"You think I'm a dreamer?"

...

The two of them stopped, Joshua speaking, "Every human being is a dreamer."

"You know, I had a friend once that said he never dreamed about anything at all. But, as it turned out...his dreams were the most powerful dreams of all."

"You sort of remind me of him."

...

"Why don't we try to give your dreams shape?"

Kirux looked up, "Huh?"

"In this world, dreams take form as Dream Eaters. They can become great allies, so...don't take them for granted."

...

Joshua handed Kirux some fragments.

"Just combine these together, and you'll create a brand new Spirit."

"Just like that?"

He nodded, "It's that simple."

...

Kirux combined all of the fragments, a burst of light erupting from them.

A bat Dream Eater appeared between him and Joshua, floating in mid-air.

...

"I've got you now, Joshua!"

* * *

 **Spirit Acquired - Komory Bat**

* * *

 _ **Play: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

A new person showed up on the walkway above Kirux and Joshua.

He was wearing a white tank top, khaki shorts, red and black shoes, and a black beanie with a skull on the front.

"Once I take you down, yo, me and Rhyme is goin' back where we belong!"

...

Joshua scoffed, "Beat! How many times do we have to go over this? You've been tricked -"

"By that rouge in the black coat."

Kirux looked over at Joshua, "Huh? Black coats?"

"But that's..."

...

"I'm telling you, you've made a friend of our enemy."

"Just can it, aight? Your inverse psychiatry ain't gonna work!"

"Let's go, Dream Eaters!"

...

A panda Spirit appeared, but instead of attacking Joshua, it ran at Kirux.

"What?"

Beat was not happy about this.

"Man, not cool!"

Joshua just laughed.

...

...

...

Kirux, on the other hand, had to deal with the lumbering panda running right at him.

Luckily, his new Spirit actually proved it's worth. It bit the panda on the shoulder, causing it to get distracted.

The panda threw Kirux's bat off, but not before Kirux was able to strike it down with a combo.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Kirux's Keyblade faded away, smiling at his bat, which was perched on his shoulder.

"Nice job, you." He said, petting it behind it's left wing softly.

...

Beat grunted in anger, "You know what, forget it!"

"This is stale, yo."

...

Joshua walked up behind him, "Trying to play the tough guy 24/7 would wear me out too, if I'm honest."

...

"I just...want to protect the one person that matters."

Kirux walked over, "Trust me. I know the feeling."

...

Out of nowhere, his vision started to blur.

"What...am I so...so sleepy..?"

...

Neither Joshua or Beat helped him as he collapsed to the ground in sleep.

* * *

 **There we go. Traverse Town has pretty much been completely reset, so that Kirux and Xion can roll through.**

 **It will be like that for any other Dream Drop Distance worlds I'll include. I'm gonna include some from Birth by Sleep, but I won't say which from either.**

 **That's part one of Traverse Town. Stay tuned for part two in a little!**

 **See you next time!**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	7. VII - Traverse Town I - Part II

**Hey everybody.**

 **I hope life is going well for everyone, and that we're all doing good in school, whatever level you may be in. I got back from a college open house that was a few hours away from home, but that doesn't matter.**

 **Here's the second part of Traverse Town. Enjoy.**

* * *

 _ **Play: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Xion woke up slowly, finding her head resting on the concrete below.

...

Her mind instantly went to Neku and the man in the black coat.

"Where is he?" She said, sitting up in an instant.

...

Both Neku and the man in black were gone.

Xion looked around, "They're both gone."

...

 _'Before I fell asleep, Neku said that he and that guy in the coat had a deal.'_

 _'But, what was the deal? Are the two of them working together? That can't be right.'_

 _'We also never found Neku's partner.'_

...

"I guess I'll just take a look around."

Her Spirit appeared in front of her.

...

She smiled, "Hey you."

The Spirit just bounced around happily.

Xion laughed, "I'm happy to see you too. But calm down."

She crouched down, "See if you can find anything suspicious, okay?"

...

Her Spirit walked off, Xion standing back up.

She looked around the Third District. Just from a quick look around, she couldn't find anything.

.

Her Spirit, on the other hand, did. It whined at her from behind, jumping around, trying to get her attention.

Xion turned around, "What is it?"

The Spirit was motioning it's head towards something glowing on the wall.

"Maybe that will do something." She said to herself.

...

She took her Keyblade out, and struck the object once.

The light's above the large doors to the First District turned back on.

Xion smiled, "Good job." She said, petting her Spirit lightly.

...

When they went through the doors, the First District looked exactly the same.

That was until the mailbox to her right suddenly lit up.

Xion walked over, but her Spirit ran over. When it got close, the mailbox hopped to the side, revealing a pothole down into a new area.

The Spirit jumped back in surprise, earning a giggle from Xion.

"It's okay. It won't hurt you. I do wonder where it leads though."

...

She stepped onto the manhole and was surprised when she started to move down.

Her Spirit just teleported away, and reappeared to her side as she moved down.

Unfortunately, it wasn't on the platform with her.

It fell to the ground, bouncing on it's stomach a few times before finally settling on the ground.

Xion laughed again, rubbing it's head. "You're so silly, you know that?"

...

...

...

She looked around, finding herself in what looked like a post office. There were letters and packages all over the place.

Down the hallway, there was a rail that went into a larger area.

"Guess that's how I get out of this area."

She turned to her Spirit, "I'll be right back. Just stay here."

She hopped onto the rail, and began grinding on it out of the room.

...

The rail led into a massive room, where other different colored rails filled the room. Unfortunately for Xion, the rail she was on didn't lead to the exit.

In fact, it ended in the middle of the air. It took Xion a very long dash in the air just to get to solid ground.

"How in the world do I get out of here?"

She found another rail, a yellow one, and tried to use that one to get out. That one also failed to get her out of the post office.

It did, however, show her where the exit was. It was on the end of a green rail.

It took a long jump, but she got onto the rail and found the exit.

...

"About time." She said to herself.

Her Spirit appeared at her side. It's face showed that it was upset.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I'm here now, right?"

The Spirit snapped at her slightly. Her apology was clearly not accepted.

"Hey, I'll make it up to you later. Let's just keep going."

...

Her and her Spirit walked into a new area, where there was a large fountain shaped like a heart.

"Why haven't there been anymore Dream Eaters? They've got to be around here somewhere."

They both left the fountain area, and entered another district, the Fourth District.

* * *

 ** _Stop: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance_**

 ** _Play: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance_**

* * *

As soon as her and her Spirit got to a new area, Nightmares appeared.

Xion's Keyblade appeared in her hand, "Finally."

...

She ran at the Nightmares, swatting two snake-like ones away. Her Spirit also attacked them, but it wasn't doing nearly as much as she was.

One of the Nightmares even launched a fireball at her Spirit, and she remembered how those types of Dream Eaters hated fire.

Her Spirit ran around panicking, just as she slammed the last one to the ground.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

She ran over to the Spirit, the flames having gone away.

"Hey," she said, crouching in front of it, "It's okay. You're alright."

It took a few second, but the Spirit did calm down. It looked up at Xion happily, rolling around from side to side.

She smiled, "You're never gonna change, are you?"

...

She saw two new fragments similar to the ones she used to make her first Spirit on the ground. One was an orange and brown flame-like material, with a yellow star in the center. The other was the blue and green one from before.

"Guess I'll do this again." She said, combing the two fragments together.

A burst of light appeared again.

...

A new Spirit appeared in front of her. It was purple and very spiky, and had blue and white horns on it's head.

It did a flip in the air in front of her.

Xion smiled, "You're just as enthusiastic as the other one."

...

When she walked down the stairs, there was a large open area. The word "Coliseum" hung high on the back wall.

"Man, how big is this town?"

* * *

 **Spirit Acquired: Pricklemane**

* * *

 _ **Play: Innocent Times - KH Birth By Sleep**_

* * *

She noticed someone standing by the entrance to this coliseum.

"Could that be Neku?"

...

She ran over, just behind the new person. As she got closer, she could tell it was not Neku.

"Hey, um..."

"any chance you're Neku's partner?"

...

This new person, a girl in an orange shirt and black beanie, turned towards Xion in confusion.

"Umm...I'm not really sure. All I know is that my name is Rhyme."

"Wait...so you've lost your memory?"

"Yep."

...

Xion frowned, "Oh. I'm sorry."

Rhyme smiled, "Aw, it's no big deal. You know what they always say - "Sometimes memories just need a little help getting out.""

...

 _'Does anybody really say that?'_ She thought to herself.

But Xion just smiled, "Yeah, I guess so."

Rhyme nodded.

...

"Hmm...a little help."

"I know! Maybe Neku can help fix your memory. Come on, Rhyme. Let's go find him!"

"Right!"

...

Before they could leave, Xion's Spirits pretty much assaulted Rhyme. Any personal space she had before disappeared in an instant.

Xion struggled to get them to calm down, "Hey! Come on! Give her her space, you two!"

Rhyme just laughed, "It's no big deal. Are they yours?"

She sighed, "Yeah. They are. They're so hard to control sometimes!"

"Yeah, I know. I don't mind though. They're reliable when need, and pretty cute too."

Xion smiled, "They are cute, I'll give them that."

Rhyme stood back up, "What was it we were doing again?"

"We're gonna go find Neku."

"Okay. Lead the way."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Innocent Times - KH Birth By Sleep**_

* * *

Xion and Rhyme entered a new area. There a bunch of tall buildings around them, but they were only accesible through water.

Xion looked up, and found a boy standing there.

...

Neku.

"Hey! Neku!"

Xion and Rhyme walked up behind him.

...

"Xion..."

"Wait...you actually still trust me?"

"Of course I do."

...

"But you know that I tricked you, right? That guy in the black coat...he said he could send me home, me and my Partner. But I had to bring you to him first."

Neku looked down, "Sorry."

...

Xion smiled, "It's no big deal. When it mattered, you stood up for me. Besides, we're friends, right?"

"Friends..."

Neku smiled back at her, who just smiled right back at him.

...

"Oh, hey Neku! This is Rhyme. Is she your Game Partner?"

He shook his head, "No. Sorry. My pact is with someone else."

...

Out of nowhere, Rhyme disappeared.

"Huh? Rhyme?"

The man in black appeared again, a few yards away.

Xion's Keyblade appeared, as Neku ran at him.

The man in black just threw him away.

...

"Neku!" She yelled, focusing on the man in front of her.

* * *

 _ **Play: Untamable - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

The man put his arms into the air, summoning a massive Nightmare above him. Xion's Spirits appeared at her sides, ready to help her fight.

The man walked into a dark portal.

...

"Hey, wait!" Xion said, running towards him.

But it was too late. He left.

And the Nightmare landed right in front of her. It growled at her loudly.

Xion stopped, "Get out of my way!"

...

...

...

The Nightmare ran up to her, just as she readied herself to fight.

It swiped at her with both of its arms. Xion blocked the attack, but her Spirits got knocked away.

Xion attacked with a few combos, but the Dream Eaters were not like Heartless or Nobodies. They couldn't be staggered easily, and now was the case.

Her attacks just didn't do anything, and the Nightmare took advantage. It flipped itself over and attack her with its feet.

Luckily, she was able to get away. The Nightmare was then able to switch it's arms to a pair of boxing gloves.

It jumped away from her, punching at her from far away. Xion was able to dodge as she ran closer, but the Nightmare wasn't finished.

It turned itself into a hammer, and slammed right over Xion. Thankfully, it missed.

She then went on to attack the Nightmare relentlessly. Her Spirits also attacked, but with not as much damage.

The Nightmare got back up, and switched its arms back to normal.

...

 _'What am I gonna do? Nothing is working.'_

...

She got an idea.

Her fatter Spirit appeared in front of her.

She climbed up on to its back, "Alright. Let's go!"

...

The Spirit bounced around really high, creating massive shockwaves as it hit the ground.

They hit the Nightmare multiple times, knocking it back over and over again.

In time, Xion hopped off of her Spirit's back, and flew towards the Nightmare.

Her Keyblade struck it one time, hard.

...

The Nightmare was sent reeling, and collapsed to the ground in defeat.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Untamable - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

The Nightmare soared into the air, and disappeared.

...

Xion was down close to the entrance to the district.

By the entrance, a faded out person appeared. A girl, holding a stuffed cat.

She ran right past her.

...

"What?" She said, going to run towards the girl.

"Hold on, Xion." A voice said to her.

...

...

...

A boy appeared behind her, one that she did not recognize.

"Joshua."

Neku walked over as Xion spoke to him.

...

"Hello, Neku. How long the days without you have felt."

Rhyme appeared next to him.

"Rhyme! I'm glad you're okay."

...

"Neku, do you know this guy?"

"Yeah. Joshua. He's my...friend."

"Okay..."

...

Xion looked towards Joshua, "Are you the one who took Rhyme away? And...why do you know my name?"

"If you'd like to settle down for a sec, I'll field your questions one at a time. Let's start with Rhyme. I'm hanging on to her dreams for her. They're my Portal."

Xion looked confused.

"Let's just say, her dreams are a gateway between worlds."

...

"Next question - how could I possibly know your name - right? This town has a little secret. It only appears when someone out there has need of shelter. I'll spare you the details, but right now it's made up of my dreams."

"So of course I know you - I dreamed you up. I know your best friend, Kirux, too."

"Really? You know Kirux?"

"Well, yeah. I'm kind of omniscient."

"Then, where is he? Can you tell me how to get to him?"

...

Joshua turned around, "Unfortunately, no. But, I can tell you where he is."

"He's right inside this projection, in another imagining of this world."

...

Xion walked up next to him.

She could see a see-through version of Kirux, walking back away from someone or something.

"You mean...another Traverse Town? Can I get there with your Portal?"

"Sad to say, it won't work for you. I'm sorry, I know the two of you are close, but..."

"The Portal only opens for the one with Rhyme's dreams. In this projection, you're seeing another chain of events, in another world trapped by the Dream Eaters. As for how the world got split in two..."

"I have a feeling you'll have to ask...this guy."

...

The man in black appeared again.

"Him again."

...

New figures appeared behind Neku and Rhyme, but Xion payed not attention to them.

The man in black pulled his hood off, and the face she saw shocked her.

...

It looked like a black-haired Sora.

Vanitas.

...

"How...is he here?"

Vanitas' image faded.

...

Rhyme spoke, "Beat..."

Then Neku, "Shiki..."

...

Xion did now, "Kirux..."

* * *

 **(Kirux)**

Kirux woke up slowly.

...

"What happened? Did I fall asleep?"

He stood up. Joshua, Beat, and his Spirit were all gone.

...

"Where is everyone?"

"Hey! Do you mind?"

* * *

 _ **Play: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Kirux noticed a girl running away from a whole bunch of Nightmares.

It wasn't Xion, but she still needed help.

...

His Spirit appeared at his side, floating around in happiness to see him.

"No time, bud. She needs help. Let's go!"

He ran off, his Spirit following him.

...

...

...

He found the girl surrounded by Nightmares. Kirux jumped over them, landing right in front of her.

"Stay back." He said, his Keyblade appearing in his hand.

...

He ran at the Nightmares, swatting all of them away one-by-one. His Spirit also attacked them with sonic waves, and bit a couple of the nightmares.

More showed up, and Kirux resorted to using Flowmotion to take them out.

He was going to admit. Flowmotion made things all too easy for him.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"Seriously, thanks." The girl said, walking up to him.

"I'm Shiki. How 'bout you?"

He turned around, "Kirux."

"Thanks Kirux."

"Sure."

...

Kirux went to walk away.

"Hey! That's it? You chat up a girl and then just say, "Sure," and walk off?"

Kirux turned back, "I'm...not good with this. Sorry. Look, it's not safe out here. You should go home."

...

"If it's so dangerous, how can you just leave me here? Aren't you my knight in shining armor?"

She winked at him, "Well?"

...

 _'Is she...hitting on me?'_

 _'Oh man. If Xion finds out about this, she's gonna kill me.'_

...

"Kn-knight?" He started in embarrassment, "Listen, you've got the wrong idea. And...I'm already with someone else."

Shiki frowned, "Omigosh. I was so just kidding. Do you get out much?"

Kirux just crossed his arms.

...

"You remind me of this guy I know."

She put her cat doll out, "Well, good thing we met."

Kirux turned around, "Yeah. Just great."

...

 _'Xion, please don't find out about this.'_

...

...

...

Kirux and Shiki were walking when she spoke to him again.

"So, Kirux...tell me about this other girl."

"What do you mean?"

"The girl you're already with. What's she like?"

...

"Well, Xion is..."

There's a lot of things he could say.

 _'She's my entire world. Without her, I'm nothing.'_

 _'She's the light that my heart never had.'_

Those are just to name a few.

...

Kirux smiled, "Well, you see...her and I were just friends originally, but...things changed."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. Her and I, well, we've been through a lot together. But in the end, we just keep ending up side-by-side."

...

He wasn't wrong. They had been through a lot.

But they still ended up together in the end, no matter what happened.

It's almost as if it was...destiny, you know?

...

"Is she nice at all?"

"She's the nicest person I know. She'll make friends with just about anybody, if she had the opportunity."

"That's cool. Maybe I'll meet her one day."

"Maybe."

* * *

 **Spirit Acquired: Kooma Panda**

* * *

Kirux looked up at the new Spirit he had just created. It was a tall looking panda, like the one's he had fought in his first encounter with Beat.

...

"Do you really take the time to make new Spirits?"

"Of course. Don't you?"

Shiki shook her head, "Not really. The ones I use are generally pretty reliable."

...

He shrugged, "Well, whatever works for you."

He turned towards the large pair of double doors, "You say the Fifth District is through here?"

"Yep."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Kirux and Shiki both walked up slowly.

Well, until Shiki ran ahead of him.

"Over there!"

...

Kirux ran behind her, stopping in the pool of water.

"Hey! We should stick together!"

He heard her yell around the corner, "Perfect.

...

"You can't just expect me t-,"

...

A man in a black coat was standing there. Shiki's doll was at his feet.

"Shiki! No way..."

...

The man kicked the doll towards Kirux.

"How did you get here?"

...

Kirux recognized the voice.

...

"Who are you?"

The doll hit his chest.

...

"By choice or chance?"

The man walked towards him, "You cannot control what you are not aware of."

Kirux backed away slowly.

...

 _'Where do I recognize the voice?'_

...

"This wakeless sleep will be your prison...to wander forever."

...

"What do you mean?"

"Kirux, don'chu listen to that punk!"

He turned around, finding Beat standing there. Shiki was behind him.

"Shiki's gonna be fine! She told me whassup. Hoodie here set this whole thing up, yo. He promised to send Shiki back to our world, and you was the cost of travel."

"Yo, this is seriously one half-baked excuse for a mission. Betchu ain't even a Reaper."

...

The man slowly removed his hood.

Kirux was stunned to say the least.

...

"Vanitas!?"

* * *

 _ **Play: Untamable - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Vanitas put his arms up in the air, a massive floating Nightmare appearing.

...

It flew into the doors of the building.

"Wait!" Kirux said, trying to get to Vanitas before he left.

But he was too late. He vanished.

...

Shiki stepped forward, "I'm really sorry, Kirux."

She caught her doll in the air, "It's alright."

Kirux looked to Beat, "Watch her."

"I got this, yo!"

Kirux nodded, and ran after the Nightmare.

...

...

...

When Kirux entered the room, the Nightmare was floating in the air on the other end.

His Keyblade and Spirits appeared.

"Alright. Let's go, you two!"

...

He slid on the rail towards the Nightmare, jumping and attacking using Flowmotion to attack. The attack did a good deal, and managed to stun the Nightmare.

Him and his Spirits then went on the offensive, attacking the Nightmare anyway they can. His bat used the sonic waves, while the panda used some wind-up punches.

Eventually, the Nightmare recovered. It flew towards the entrance, and launched tons of fireballs at Kirux.

Thanks to Flowmotion however, he was able to dodge nearly all of them. He teleported away, and attacked the Nightmare with his Keyblade.

Eventually, the Nightmare got desperate. It cloned it's hands twice, and sent them at Kirux and his Spirits.

Most of the time, they just swiped at him. But other times, they would pick up parts of the arena and attack him with it.

Nonetheless, him and his Spirits took them all down.

The Nightmare was left stunned, and all but defeated.

Kirux just had to finish the job.

...

He jumped onto the wall, and dashed towards the Nightmare. With one swing, he sliced right through it.

He did a flip in the air, and landed on his feet.

The Nightmare sailed up into the air, enveloped in a glow of energy.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Untamable - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 ** _Play: The Dream - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance_**

* * *

Kirux walked out of the garden, finding Shiki and Beat staring at these projections of three people. He recognized one as Joshua, but not the other two.

...

"This is so messed up, man!"

Beat was crouching down in front of a girl. Kirux could only guess that it was Rhyme, from what Beat and Joshua had said earlier.

"She's right here in front of me and...I can't reach her!"

His hands constantly went through the projection.

...

...

...

Kirux smiled, "If your hearts are connected, you'll reach her. Trust me."

...

Beat looked down, then spoke, "Rhyme..."

Shiki did next, "Neku..."

Kirux looked up at the sky, "Xion..."

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Dream - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Someday - Kingdom Mix - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Kirux was still standing in the Fifth District. Shiki and Beat had dispersed.

...

He was frowning, "All of that, and I didn't find Xion..."

He looked down, and sighed.

...

...

...

"Kirux?"

He looked up, and found her standing to his right.

"Xion!"

He ran over to her, but noticed something...off.

She was faded, like what the others had looked like earlier.

"What happened to you? I...can see right through you."

...

"Allow me to explain that."

Joshua was behind him. He looked the same as Xion.

"Putting it simply, this world was split in two by some unknown force. Unfortunately, you got stuck on one side, Xion got stuck on the other."

"So...how do I get across?"

...

"Unfortunately, there...isn't a way for me to keep you on the other side."

Kirux looked down.

...

"But, that's not the point."

"You see, in their world, something happened that brought their existence to an end. To keep them from fading away all together, I gathered up the very last remnants of their dreams and looked for a place to give them refuge."

"It was then this world appeared to answer my call, and Rhyme's dreams allowed us to reach it. Here, I thought they might have a chance - that the pieces of their dreams could make them whole again."

"Imagine my surprise when I realized dreams take bodily form in this world. It struck me - by linking their dream pieces back together, maybe I could make them exist again. Maybe I could give them another chance."

...

"It can't be that simple."

"Well, why can't it? By ourselves, we're no one. It's when other people look at us and see someone - that's the moment we start to exist. All they needed was for someone to see them, connect with them. And they two of you were a big part of making that happen."

...

"By the way, Kirux. I can sense that your dreams are very powerful, some of the most powerful I've ever imagined."

Kirux gasped, "Really?"

"Yes. And...because your dreams are strong enough, and you and Xion's hearts are connected..."

...

Joshua snapped his fingers.

Kirux's vision was blinded for a minute.

When he opened his eyes again, and Joshua was no longer a projection.

Neither was Xion.

...

"I can bring you onto this side of the portal for a short time. But, this is the one and only time I can. And once you leave this world, you'll be separated again."

...

"Joshua, just...who are you?" The two of them said at the same time.

He laughed, "Let's just say...a friend."

...

Out of nowhere, wings appeared from his back.

Xion and Kirux were both stunned as he flew up and away.

...

...

...

Xion turned to him, "So, I hop-,"

She was interrupted by Kirux crushing her in a hug.

"It's good to finally see you again."

Xion returned it immediately, "The feeling's mutual."

...

Kirux pulled back, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. You?"

"Good."

...

A Keyhole appeared to their left.

"There it is. Finally."

...

Kirux went to walk towards it, but Xion grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Wait. One more thing."

She pulled him back and kissed him once softly.

Before he could respond, Xion had pulled back. She rested her forehead against his.

...

"Please be safe. If something happens...I can't help you."

He pushed some of her hair out of her face, "I know. I'll be careful, and you should too."

...

They both put their Keyblade out, towards the Keyhole.

The beams of light shattered the Keyhole.

...

Kirux turned to her, "I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Right."

...

They were both blinded by the following light.

* * *

 **There. Traverse Town is down.**

 **Next up: I'm not telling you. You'll find out.**

 **Hope you enjoyed! Until next time!**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	8. VIII - La Cité des Cloches - Kirux

**Here we are, at the next world.**

 **We're starting with Kirux this time, and this chapter will only be Kirux. Due to me being out of town for two whole days, this is only going to be Kirux's side of the world. Next chapter will be Xion's. After those next two, we'll go back to the each being in the same one.**

 **Hope that's okay with everyone.**

 **Now, please enjoy.**

* * *

Kirux was just minding his own business, walking into the area. It seemed like it was the town square, but he wasn't completely sure.

Out of nowhere, a woman ran past him. She didn't stop to acknowledge his presence.

He turned in confusion, only to have someone call out to him.

...

"You there. Have you seen a gypsy woman?"

Kirux crossed his arms, "Umm..."

...

 _'What in the world is a gypsy?'_

 _'And why is this guy looking for them?'_

The man that had asked was in a gold suit of armor. There was no doubt in Kirux's mind that he was a soldier.

 _'I...don't know if I can trust this guy won't do any harm.'_

...

"No," he lied, "I'm sorry."

"Alright. Thanks."

The man walked away to what Kirux assumed was his superior.

"I'm deeply sorry, sir. We've lost her."

...

The man clenched his fist in anger, "Slippery vermin!"

He turned towards the soldier, "I'm beginning to question having summoned you back from the wars, Captain Phoebus."

The two of them walked away, leaving Kirux alone in the distance.

At least, he thought he was.

...

"Thank you," a woman said from behind him.

He turned around, finding the same one who had passed him earlier.

"You stood up for me."

...

"I'm Esmeralda."

"Kirux, and it's not like I know what a gypsy is. Why were they chasing you?"

...

"Judge Frollo has been hunting us for years. We gypsies are guilty of nothing but loving our freedom, but Frollo hates what he can't control. Now he's even brought in fresh blood to torment us."

She sighed, "I hate to know what darkness drives that man."

He looked down, "I think I can imagine..."

...

Kirux looked back up at her, "Tell me more. Was he always like this?"

Esmeralda looked away, "I don't like to give Frollo much thought. But, if you'd like, you can try Notre Dame. They say it's a place for answers."

* * *

 **Entered New World: La Cit** **é des Cloches**

* * *

 ** _Play: La Cloche - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance_**

* * *

Kirux turned around, "You mean that big cathedral?"

He didn't hear a response, "Esmeralda?"

...

Kirux turned around, finding nobody behind him.

He looked around the area.

There was no sign of Esmeralda.

...

"That's strange. Where did she go?"

"She was just here a second ago."

Kirux just shook his head, and looked back towards the cathedral.

"A place for answers, huh? Might as well take a look."

...

Kirux began to walk towards the cathedral.

His mind drifted back to what Joshua had said, back in Traverse Town.

...

 _'My dreams...he said that they were some of the most powerful he's ever imagined.'_

 _'How...does that work though? How do you see how powerful a dream is?'_

 _'I mean, my dreams are pretty weird and messed up. Maybe that's what he meant.'_

 _'I can't really say though, because I don't understand.'_

 _'The dreams I have, they're nothing more than just visions or memories. How does that make them special?'_

 _'Is it because some of them aren't even my own? Are the memories of one of those two men what makes them so powerful?'_

 _'Even if that was the case, it goes back to so long ago, back when I first joined the Organization.'_

 _'I had dreams of me, Roxas, Axel, and Xion. All four of us on the clock tower back home, and that was even before I met them.'_

 _'I've had dreams of visions, past and future, ever since my birth.'_

 _'There's just so much I don't understand, and I don't think I ever will.'_

 _'Hopefully going through all of this will help out.'_

* * *

 _ **Stop: La Cloche - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

By that time, he had finally reached the cathedral doors.

He pushed them open, finding the entire building completely dark except for one area.

For a place of such prominence (at least he thought it was that way), the lack of people there was surprising to him.

The entire building was empty, except for Kirux.

...

"Is anybody here?" He yelled out loud, his voice echoing off of the stone walls.

"Who...who are you?"

...

When Kirux turned around, there was a man standing there. He was wearing a green shirt, and was hunched over heavily. His face was deformed.

Kirux payed no attention to that, "I'm Kirux."

"Oh. M-my name's Quasimodo. I'm very sorry, but the archdeacon is away."

Quasimodo went to walk away, but Kirux stopped him.

"Actually, I'm looking for a man named "Frollo". Have you seen him?"

...

Quasimodo turned back, "My master? He said he had business on the outskirts of the city."

"So you know him?"

"Oh yes. He's - he's very kind."

* * *

 ** _Play: Tears of the Light - KH Birth By Sleep_**

* * *

"Master Frollo saved my life. He protects me from the outside world."

...

 _'Very kind. Yeah, not from what Esmeralda told me.'_

...

"He...protects you from it?"

Quasimodo brought his hands up over his face, "The people out there...would be cruel to me. I'm a...monster, you know."

"Is that what Frollo told you?"

...

Quasimodo brought his hands down, and frowned.

"Listen, looks can be deceiving. A good friend will always support you, know matter what face you where."

He smiled, and motioned towards the door, "You should go out there, find some friends who understand you. Not by your looks, but by _you_. As a person."

...

"Oh no. My master forbids it. I'm not allowed to set foot outside."

Kirux crossed his arms, "Is that what's troubling you? Because, I can sense it's something else that's holding you back."

Kirux walked closer to him, "You want to know what I see, Quasimodo?"

...

"Well, I see someone that's put walls around their heart. Somebody that's afraid of what other people will think about them, just because of what they look on the outside."

"It's not what's on the outside that matters, Quasimodo. It's what's inside that counts."

...

Quasimodo said nothing, he just turned to walk away.

"Ask your heart, Quasimodo."

That made him stop in his tracks.

...

"I'll check outside of town. Thanks."

Kirux turned towards the exit, and walked away.

As he left, he spoke to himself.

"Guess I should have taken my own advice."

...

...

...

What did he mean by that?

Well, if you understood everything that Kirux had done in the past, you would understand.

* * *

 **Spirits Acquired: Yoggy Ram, Drill Sye**

* * *

 _ **Stop: Tears of the Light - KH Birth By Sleep**_

* * *

Kirux walked onto the bridge, his Spirits at his sides. He had made them not long after he left the cathedral, when he finally noticed his Spirits from Traverse Town weren't with him.

"I guess every world I go to, I'll just have to make new ones." He had said to himself.

Kirux didn't mind having to make and get along with new Spirits, but he didn't like that every world he went to the Spirits were going to be different.

The Dream Eaters, from what he had noticed in the short time he had encountered them, were all very different in how they acted and fought. Some were more magic based, and some were more physical in combat. Others seemed to be more on the support side, too.

It was that reason alone that drove Kirux alone from the Spirits, but he knew that this was going to be rough without them. So, he just made do.

...

...

...

They weren't on the bridge for long until it came.

And by it, I mean a massive Nightmare.

* * *

 _ **Play: Le Sanctuaire - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

It flew right over him and his Spirits.

"A Dream Eater! And a big one!"

...

The Nightmare charged up and launched a massive fireball at Kirux and his Spirits. All of them were barely able to dodge the one, but the Nightmare wasn't done.

More fireballs were heading right for them.

Kirux turned to his Spirits, "Run for it! Come on!"

He turned and ran, the rhino-like Spirit turning into a ball of spikes after him. The ram simply ran (haha).

...

Smaller Nightmares appeared as Kirux and his Spirits went on, but Kirux would just swat them away with his Keyblade and keep going. His Spirits did the same thing, to an extent. I don't want to go into detail.

In very little time, Kirux and his Spirits made it to the other side of the bridge.

Unfortunately, the Nightmare followed them into the town.

...

...

...

Fireballs continued to rain down on him and his Spirits as they went through the town.

And the fact that there were burned out pieces of scaffolding didn't help their case.

Kirux had to take time that he desperately needed to get away just to knock the scaffolding down.

He barely did, as more fireballs landed near him as he continued to run.

...

...

...

The Nightmare stopped firing down on Kirux and his Spirits, and flew away.

"Where is it going?" He said.

"Now it's our turn to follow it. Come on, you two!"

Him and his Spirits took off again.

...

...

...

"Stand aside, Captain Phoebus."

"I will not! What have these people done wrong?"

"I have evidence that these people gave harbor to gypsies."

"That's not a crime."

"I can think of few crimes that are greater."

...

Kirux ran up to Phoebus' side, just as the Nightmare arrived behind Frollo.

"What demon is this?"

Darkness began to flow out of Frollo.

Kirux gasped lightly, "Oh no. He's already fallen in."

...

"This is no demon, Captain Phoebus. It is righteous judgement. I have been granted this power so that I may smite all gypsies, now and forever!"

Phoebus shook his head, "This is all wrong!"

"He's not going to listen," Kirux started, "Once you've fallen this far into the darkness, there's almost no going back."

"So we can't reason with him?"

He shook his head.

...

Frollo looked right at Kirux, "How dare you! I am a virtuous man. Good and evil shall be made plain. Once the gypsies face the fires of judgement."

Frollo turned and walked away, laughing evilly.

The Nightmare went to follow him.

Phoebus ran over, Kirux yelling out, "No! Wait!"

...

"No you don't!"

The Nightmare just spun around, and knocked Phoebus away.

Kirux ran up to him.

...

"Are you okay?"

Phoebus smiled, "Well, I can't say you didn't warn me."

"You should just take it easy. Let me deal with Frollo."

"Okay. I've got to tell you, it's a little embarrassing having to rely on a kid."

Kirux smiled, "Trust me. You're not the first one."

...

"Alright, be careful. It look that thing...is heading for the cathedral."

"The cathedral. Got it."

Kirux ran back towards the city.

...

...

...

...

...

...

When he got to the town square, fire was all over the place. Boxes, crates, stands, and carriages were burning all over the place.

Quasimodo was standing in the center, holding Esmeralda in his arms.

Kirux ran up to his side, "Is she going to be okay?"

Esmeralda spoke slowly and softly, "I'm fine. Thanks to Quasimodo."

Kirux nodded, looking over at him, "Quasimodo. Where did that creature go?"

He looked up, "It's up there."

Kirux nodded, and ran towards the cathedral.

...

"Wait - wait, I'll go with you!"

Kirux stopped, "Thanks, but you should stay with her."

Before Kirux went in, he turned back, "Quasimodo, did your heart have the answer?"

He nodded.

"Good."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Le Sanctuaire - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Frollo was close to the edge as Kirux approached, Keyblade in hand.

"Don't you see yet? This is the power that has been granted to me!"

Kirux raised his blade, "All I see is a crazy old man with a dark heart!"

...

Frollo turned around, "Again, you are wrong!"

Darkness flowed out of him again, "And now you shall be judged just like the rest!"

* * *

 _ **Play: Vim and Vigor - KH Birth By Sleep**_

* * *

There was a burst of air, Kirux having to cover his face to stop himself from being blown off of the roof.

When he looked again, the Nightmare was in the air behind Frollo.

...

"I, Claude Frollo, will not be criticized at the hand of a weak-minded child!"

"Now, you will face trial for your actions!"

Kirux's Spirits appeared at his side.

...

...

...

They Spirits were the first two attack Frollo, but to really no avail. Any time they went in to attack, Frollo would just swat them away with the sword in his hand.

The same thing went for Kirux. He knew he shouldn't be holding back, but...something was telling him he should really not do any of this.

Maybe it was the darkness in his heart telling him to hold back, when he knew he really shouldn't.

...

Frollo swung down at Kirux, who held his blade back with his own.

The darkness surrounding Frollo continued to grow.

"Your efforts are meaningless!"

Kirux struggled to hold him back.

...

"I can't..."

Out of nowhere, he was being surrounded by his own dark energy.

He pushed Frollo back, knocking the blade out of his hand in the process.

Kirux caught it out of the air, and threw it at Frollo.

He missed on purpose, but actually caused Frollo to stumble back towards the edge.

He hit the edge, and fell into the fires below.

...

...

...

The Nightmare didn't last much longer.

Kirux jumped onto the wall, and launched himself at the Nightmare.

With one strike, it fell into the fires with Frollo.

Kirux landed at the edge of the cathedral, his Keyblade disappearing.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Vim and Vigor - KH Birth By Sleep**_

* * *

"Master Frollo," Quasimodo started, "He made me live inside the bell tower, but the real walls were the ones I had built around my heart. You helped me see that, Kirux."

Kirux looked down, "I...was speaking from...personal experience."

Phoebus spoke this time, "I bet you still keep a lot locked inside."

Esmeralda was next, "We all do that sometimes. There are just some things we need to keep separate from the world at large, at least until we have time to figure them out."

...

She smiled at Kirux, who just nodded back at her.

...

...

...

...

...

Kirux was walking through the cathedral when he showed up.

"You hypocrite," Vanitas said, walking towards him, "You are the one that's made your heart a prison."

Kirux gasped, "You! What are you talking about?"

...

"Even if you are not the prisoner."

...

When he said that, Kirux saw...someone else.

Another man, who looked...kind of like Terra.

At least, the outfit was the same.

...

Kirux just stood there in confusion.

Vanitas disappeared, and the Keyhole appeared in the air.

Kirux immediately unlocked it, thinking to himself before the light blinded him.

...

 _'My heart's...a prison?'_

* * *

 **Whew** **. Finally done.**

 **So, does that format work best? Do you want me to split them up into two, shorter chapters? Or keep it as one, long one? Let me know!**

 **See you next time!**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	9. IX - La Cité des Cloches - Xion

**Hey.  
**

 **Yeah, I'm sorry this took so long. A week, to be exact. I don't have many excuses, only that writer's block is a disease that the CDC needs to look at.**

 **Other than that, I have nothing. Union Cross finally became a thing that I didn't play every other week, high school sucks, and I'm a football nerd.**

 **That's pretty much my whole life in a nutshell.**

 **Anyways, here's the next chapter. We're going through Xion's side of** **La Cité des Cloches. Please enjoy.**

 **(P.S. I have something I want to talk about at the end. So, make sure you read that. It has to do with the series as a whole.)**

* * *

Xion was walking through the strange town when the man approached.

He was in a black robe and a black hat. Rings covered either two or three of his fingers.

...

The man stared at her as she approached and walked past him.

...

 _'Please don't say anything. Please don't say anything. Please don't say anything.'_

...

The man halted, "Stop."

Xion stopped at his command, _'Aw, great.'_

She turned around, "What's the problem, sir?"

...

The man eyed her up and down, "I've never seen you before. Your name?"

"Xion, sir."

 _'What's this guy's deal with me? He doesn't even know me.'_

...

"Such disgusting attire. I know what you are."

Xion hoped that somebody would get her out of this conversation.

Thankfully, someone ran up behind the man. He was wearing golden armor.

...

"Judge Frollo! Sir!"

Frollo turned around, "What is the matter, Captain Phoebus? Can't you see...I am interrogating this gypsy."

The man in armor, Phoebus, looked over at Xion, "This kid here? But sir, she's just a girl."

...

Xion crossed her arms.

 _'Geez. What's with these two?'_

...

"I will be the judge of that. Now, did you have something to report to me or did you not?"

"Yes sir. Monsters! They've invaded the square."

* * *

 _ **Play: Le Sanctuaire - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"Monsters?" Xion said.

Her Keyblade appeared in her hand, "I'll take care of them."

She ran off towards the town square, the man in armor running after her.

"Hey wait! It's not safe!"

"I can handle myself!" She yelled back, not stopping or slowing down.

She failed to notice the darkness coming out from "Frollo," or whatever his name was.

...

...

...

When Xion arrived in the square, Nightmares were all over the place. All different kinds that she never seen in Traverse Town.

There was an elephant one in the center of it all.

And would you believe it, a man was actually riding it.

Xion left her confusion to the side, and running towards the Nightmares.

"I just knew it would be Dream Eaters."

...

She stopped to the right of the elephant and man, "What are you doing? You need to run!"

The man looked down at her, "Oh no! I couldn't. Today's the festival, and look! I'm the King of Fools!"

"Yeah, and you sure do look the part." She muttered to herself.

...

The man in armor stuck on Nightmare down with his sword, Frollo walking up beside him.

He grew angry at the sight before him.

"Quasimodo!"

The elephant's eyes changed, and it threw "Quasimodo" off of its back.

"No. Oh, please stop. Why doesn't anything ever go the way I want it to?"

...

Xion ran in front of him, "Get to safety, now!"

"Let me help."

...

 _'Great, what now? Who's next, Kirux?'_

 _'I mean...that would be great.'_

...

A woman walked up to the two of them.

"Who are you?"

"Esmeralda. I'm a gypsy."

 _'What in the world is a gypsy?'_ She wanted to say.

She held that in though, "Thank you. I'm Xion. Get him out of here, and I'll deal with these guys. Alright?"

Esmeralda nodded, and her and Quasimodo ran into the large cathedral.

...

In the distance, the man in armor was smiling.

Frollo, however, was not. "Gypsy witch!" He said.

Xion turned her attention to the Nightmares, "Alright. Now we can finally get this over with."

...

...

...

She dispatched off each Nightmare in no time at all. At least, all of the small ones. The elephant and rhinos that appeared later on were the only ones that gave her much of a challenge.

The elephant turned all red after she had struck it once by accident (she was targeting another Dream Eater.) For the next few minutes, it was attacking her constantly.

She would be trying to attack those stupid rhinos that constantly went underground, and the elephant would just attack her from behind.

It was pretty annoying.

But in time, she was able to use Flowmotion to throw the elephant into one of the rhinos, taking them both out at the same time.

The final rhino was dealt with after it popped up from out of the ground for what felt like the hundredth time.

Xion looked around her.

No more Nightmares appeared.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Le Sanctuaire - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Her Keyblade faded away.

"I wonder if those two are okay. Esmeralda and Quasi-, what was it?"

"Quasimodo. That's it. Esmeralda and Quasimodo."

She turned around towards the cathedral, "I'd better go see if they're safe."

She walked to the cathedral.

* * *

 _ **Play: La Cloche - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Xion didn't find anything in the main level of the cathedral, and it had taken her some time (and more engagements with Nightmares) to find a way to the top.

She looked over the edge.

You could see the entire square from up at the top.

The view reminded her of the clock tower back home, in Twilight Town.

...

Her thoughts went to Kirux then.

"I hope he's alright without me."

She was going to admit, she missed Kirux a lot. She had missed him a lot back in Traverse Town too.

That short amount of time they got to see each other was nice and all, but...it wasn't enough. Not for her.

"When this is over," she said to herself, "He's not going to be leaving my side for a long time."

She smiled, "He'd probably enjoy that."

...

...

...

She entered a new area, inside of the bell tower of the cathedral.

The bells of the cathedral were all contained inside this tower.

Hence why it was called the "bell tower."

Xion was in awe, until she heard voices.

It was Quasimodo and Esmeralda, standing next to one of the bells.

...

"This is Big Marie."

"Hello!"

"She likes you."

...

Xion smiled, "Looks like Quasimodo is gonna do just fine."

A voice popped up from behind her, "Indisputably."

And another, "He's tough."

And now a third one, "We may be hard as stone, but Quasi is stronger."

She turned around, and saw three gargoyles stood behind her.

...

Wait a second...

She gasped, "Talking gargoyles?!"

The one in the middle spoke again, "Excuse us for having personality."

...

"You could stay here forever."

"No, I couldn't."

"Oh yes. You have sanctuary-,"

"But not freedom. Gypsies don't do well inside stone walls."

Quasimodo didn't back down, "You helped me, and now I will help you."

"But there's no way out. There are soldiers at every door."

"We won't use a door."

...

He walked closer to her, "It's alright."

He picked her up in his arms, "Are you ready?"

Quasimodo hopped out of the bell tower.

...

Xion spoke again, "Wasn't expecting that."

She turned back to the gargoyles, "So, how come you all and Quasimodo are so close?"

"We've been friends for years."

"More than a decade of camaraderie."

"Breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

...

"Wait," she said, "So he never leaves?"

"Oh, he's not allowed to leave. Judge Frollo forbids it."

"Why?"

"Care to pull up a stool?"

"The short version is Frollo thinks he's doing Quasi a favor by keeping folks from seeing that mug of his."

"After a lifetime of watching from the nosebleed seats, Quasimodo just wanted to go to the Feast of Fools. And we're so proud of him for finally working up the courage to do it."

"'Tis a shame that those creatures dashed his hopes."

"You should talk. When's the last time you looked in a mirror?"

"Well, you broke it."

"Oh, a wise guy, eh?"

"Knock it off, you couple of blockheads!"

...

"I just hope this one failure doesn't convince Quasi to give up. He was so close."

Xion finally spoke, "He can't let his heart be a prison."

She ran towards the exit, "Don't worry. I'll go talk to him."

She ran out of the bell tower.

 _'He can't end up like Kirux. He just can't.'_

...

...

...

As Xion was running out of the square, she encountered the man in armor again.

He was without his armor this time around.

"Hello again," he said to her, "Xion, was it?"

"Hold on," she said, "You're that guy with Frollo."

She looked at him angrily.

"Easy. I'm not looking for any sort of fight."

Xion backed down.

...

"Finally someone sensible. I'm Phoebus. Tell me, is she still safe inside the cathedral?"

"If you're talking about Esmeralda, then Quasimodo helped her escape."

Phoebus turned away, "Blast."

"What's wrong?"

He looked up towards the cathedral, "It's Judge Frollo. He's obsessed with destroying the gypsies, and his mind is in a dark place."

...

 _'That's not the only thing in a dark place.'_

...

"When I finally stood up to his barbarous, he...banished me from the guard."

"Hey, that's not fair."

"Don't worry about me. Frollo says he's found the "Court of Miracles" - the gypsies' safe haven within the city. Esmeralda and her friends are in danger. We have to find them and warn them, before Frollo gets there."

Xion nodded, "Right. Then, let's go."

...

She was about to turn and run, but there was a sound that came from behind Phoebus.

Her and Phoebus found Quasimodo standing there, a pendant lying on the ground.

"Quasimodo! Esmeralda is in danger!"

"Where did she go?"

He looked up at the two of them, "I don't know. She...she vanished into the streets."

...

"She gave me this pendant. Esmeralda said that this will help us find her."

""When you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand.""

Quasimodo got it then, "It's the city! It's a map, see? Here's the cathedral and the river. Go this way, cross the bridge, and...the Court of Miracles."

"Well done, Quasimodo!" Phoebus said, patting his shoulder.

Xion smiled at him, "Yeah. Nice job."

"Yes, I'm going to save her."

Xion turned away, "Let's not waste any time. Come on!"

She ran ahead of Quasimodo and Phoebus.

* * *

 **Spirits Acquired: Necho Cat, Toximander**

* * *

After a long time of running, an encounter with Nightmares, and taking the time to make new Spirits, Xion had finally reached the cemetery.

Phoebus and Quasimodo finally caught up to her.

...

"You know we don't run as fast, right?"

She giggled, "If I didn't go ahead, things would have just taken longer with the Dream Eaters."

"Is that what they're called?"

She nodded, her cat Spirit walking up to her left side, "These ones aren't the same though. I can actually control these ones. They fight alongside me against the Nightmares."

...

"Wow. Guess you must be a pretty powerful person."

She shook her head, "No. It's not like that."

"Anyways, let's keep going. The Court of Miracles should be here in the cemetery, somewhere."

"Alright."

...

...

...

...

...

Xion reached the Court of Miracles before Quasimodo and Phoebus (thanks in large part to Flowmotion). When she did, Esmeralda was standing there.

"Esmeralda!" She yelled, running up to her.

"Xion?"

She stopped right in front of the woman.

Quasimodo and Phoebus arrived then.

...

"Quasimodo? What are you all doing here?"

"Phoebus, Xion, and I came to warn you. Frollo is on his way!"

"Take what you can and flee!"

* * *

 _ **Stop: La Cloche - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Le Sanctuaire - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"Well done, Captain Phoebus."

Nightmares surrounded all four of them. Xion's Keyblade appeared in her hand, while Phoebus drew his sword.

"Thankfully, you are every bit as predictable as I had hoped."

Phoebus looked at him angrily.

...

"Dear Quasimodo. I always knew that you would someday be of use to me."

He walked right up to Esmeralda.

"I have you at last, you witch."

...

Frollo grabbed her from behind.

"There will be a bonfire in the square, just for you."

He began to walk away, "No. Please Master!"

Frollo just looked at Quasimodo angrily.

...

"Frollo!" Xion yelled.

She was running at him, "I'm not letting you do this!"

Darkness poured out of him, making Xion stop.

...

"What the...?"

Something struck her from behind, knocking her out.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Le Sanctuaire - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Her Spirits woke her up, still in the Court of Miracles.

"No!" She said, noticing nobody else was there.

...

"He said he was taking her to a bonfire in the square."

"I've got to hurry!"

She ran out of the Court of Miracles.

* * *

 _ **Play: Majestic Wings - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

When she arrived in the square, Frollo had already begun.

Esmeralda was tied to a pole, fires burning at her feet.

"Esmeralda!"

...

Out of nowhere, Quasimodo came flying down on a rope. He grabbed Esmeralda off of the pole, and flew back up the cathedral.

Xion smiled.

Quasimodo lifted Esmeralda into the air, and yelled.

"Sanctuary!"

...

...

...

Frollo walked towards the cathedral in anger.

"Oh no you don't." She said to herself, Keyblade appearing in hand.

Before she could run towards him, however, a massive Nightmare came from the top of the cathedral.

It crushed all of the wood that Esmeralda and Frollo were just on.

...

When the dust settled, Xion was standing right underneath it. Her Spirits were at her side.

...

...

...

The ensuing battle was as closed to turn-based it could have gotten.

The Nightmare would attack once, and it would follow up with the same attack over and over again. Xion didn't have any choice but to keep her distance, because the Nightmare seemed to have unlimited range of attacks.

At some points though, it would get tired and fall over on its back. Xion and her Spirits would have that short amount of time to attack before being on the run again.

After a while, the Nightmare's attacks got even more powerful. Every time it would slam the ground, fire would form a straight path straight at Xion. As if she wasn't already far away from the Nightmare already.

One time, one of her Spirits, the salamander one, actually got crushed by the attacks. Fragments of what once were the Spirit spilled onto the ground.

"No!" Xion yelled.

After that, she tried to use some of her old powers against it. You know, the power of light and all of that.

She put her Keyblade up, and four beams of light hit the Nightmare from the sky. While it did a lot of damage, it wasn't enough to defeat the Nightmare.

Fortunately for her, a few strikes from her Keyblade was able to finish it off.

The Nightmare floated into the air, and disappeared.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Majestic Wings - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Xion's Keyblade faded away.

"I'd better go see if everyone else is alright."

She walked into the cathedral.

...

...

...

As she walked in, Phoebus and Esmeralda were walking out. The two of them were holding hands.

They both smiled at her as they walked past.

...

 _'Aw. That's sweet.'_

 _'Kind of reminds me of me and Kirux. Well, sort of.'_

...

Xion and the three gargoyles then walked up to Quasimodo, who was looking away from them.

"Quasimodo, you can't let your heart be a-,"

"I know."

...

He turned around, "I can't blame Frollo for putting walls around me. It wasn't the walls that were holding me back."

He smiled, and walked past them, "But my heart is free now. I'm finally ready to really see what's out there."

Xion smiled now, "Well, go get 'em."

...

"Thank you, Xion. You've really been a great help."

She nodded to the gargoyles, and left the cathedral.

...

...

...

When she reached the bottom of the steps, the Keyhole appeared.

She immediately locked it with her Keyblade, the light blinding her once again.

* * *

 **Okay. Finally.**

 **So, I want to talk about this series. This story and "The Soldier of Darkness."**

 **I've been thinking about remaking it within a whole new universe, specifically a modern one. No, none of that high school BS that's all** **cliche and stupid. What it would be like, I really don't want to spoil, is a war story of sorts, with all of the characters from the two stories involved in their own way.**

 **So, yes or no? Would you like to see something like that? Because it would be something that I feel like I'd have a lot of fun doing and that people who read and like these stories would also enjoy. Let me know what you think. (It wouldn't be canon to this story arc at all. The two would be completely separate.)**

 **Please let me know what you would think about that.**

 **I've got to go now. I hoped you enjoyed, and I'll see you next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	10. X - The Grid - Xion

**Hey everyone. This chapter didn't take as long. Are you proud?**

 **Anyways, remember when I mentioned that modern day AU I wanted to do? Well, I'm doing it. But don't worry. I don't plan on posting it until after this story is near completion or at completion.**

 **That's all I've got for now. So, let's hop into the next world.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

Xion's eyes opened up in a rush.

The area she was in was blue. No literally. It was all blue, with some areas being lit up with white lights.

"What world is this? It's so...different."

* * *

 _ **Play: Access the Grid - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

She crossed her arms, only to see pieces of metal attached to both of them.

"Hey! What happened to my outfit?"

She was wearing some kind of exoskeleton, which was connected to her arms, legs, and went up her back to her neck. The white stripes that were once her coat (now her outfit was one solid piece) were now pulsing, as if they were lights.

Xion also had a helmet on her head, a blue visor covering her eyes.

"This can't be Master Yen Sid's doing."

...

"What is with this place?"

Above her, a flying machine flew away.

"Whoa!" She said, "What is that?"

"I've got to go see that!"

...

She ran off, after the machine.

* * *

 **Entered New World: The Grid**

* * *

The machine continued to fly away from her, above the high walls.

Xion grinded up and down on the rails, after the machine.

As she chased after it, her mind wandered.

...

 _'Okay, so I've gotten two out of the seven Keyholes now.'_

 _'All I have to do is find the one here, I should be sent to the next world.'_

 _'But, am I just going to get through into the unknown again?'_

 _'Because as soon as I lose my vision, I just end up appearing in a new place everytime.'_

 _..._

 _'I guess...if that's what needs to be done to get through this journey, then I don't really have a choice.'_

She was walking now into a new area.

...

...

...

...

...

She finally found the machine in the next area. As she approached, she noticed men in black and orange suits nearby. They were carrying long, orange staves.

"Wow!" She said as she approached.

The men noticed her as she approached.

...

"Identify," one of them said, "State your handle, program."

"I...don't have any handles. But, my name is Xion."

"Verifying handle "Xion"..."

...

One of them grabbed her shoulder.

"Handle not found. Stray program recognized."

Xion spoke up, "Hey, wait..."

"Isolating for quarantine."

"Quarantine?"

...

They began to pull her towards the ship. Xion struggled to break free from their grasp.

Eventually, she did and ran away.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Access the Grid - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Digital Domination - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

As she ran, two of those men jumped in front of her and blocked her path.

Her Keyblade appeared almost instantly.

The men were no match for her, no matter what attacks they threw at her.

...

Combos? She'd just block them.

Grenades? She'd roll away or jump over them.

Jump into the air and attack from above? She'd just use Flowmotion to knock them back down.

In only a few seconds, she had defeated them all and was running again.

...

...

...

She found her way onto a long bridge, where another one of those men stood in her way. The lights on his outfit were a different shade of orange.

He reached towards his back, and pull out a disk. He separated it into two, and looked as if he was going to fight.

Xion's Keyblade appeared in her hands again.

...

...

...

"Tron...He's alive."

Her eyes went towards what the girl was holding, "Look at that girl's weapon. It's different."

"But it's something you programmed, right, Dad?"

"Huh? No, Sam...No, I've never seen it."

...

...

...

Xion and the guy continued to stand there.

 _'Are we just gonna sit here all day, or are we gonna fight?'_

Eventually, the man put his disks back on his back. His hand went towards his ear, as if there was a radio or something.

Xion stood down.

...

The man then flipped over her and ran away.

Xion was incredibly confused, "What was that about?"

* * *

 _ **Stop: Digital Domination - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"Hey. That weapon. Can I see it?"

When she turned around, three people were walking towards her. One woman, two men.

...

When they got close, Xion held the Keyblade out before her.

The woman looked over it, "This is just incredible. What a program - the weapon and the wielder."

"Program? Not me. This is a Keyblade, and my name's Xion."

"I'm Sam."

...

"So, what is this place? I've...never seen anything like it."

The older man stepped forward, "This place?"

"Yeah."

...

"This right here is The Grid. I created it with the help of a program named Tron."

He frowned then, "In fact, that program you encountered was Tron."

Xion gasped, but let him continue, "Tron used to be a good friend. Together, we created this place, The Grid. It was something else, man. But then CLU staged a coup. I was exiled, and...Tron ended up getting derezzed, or so I thought."

"CLU turned him into a new program, called "Rinzler." That's the things about programs. Mess with the code just a little, and their whole nature and memory can change."

...

"That's...awful." Xion said.

"Listen," she continued, "Most of this may be over my head, but if that Tron guy is your friend, then...why don't we try and change him back?"

The man smiled, "Bingo. And now you're up to speed."

...

"If we're lucky," he continued, turning back to Xion, "CLU kept a backup of Tron's source code. He's a program, after all. He'd be methodical like that."

He chuckled.

"So, if we get Tron's "source code" back from CLU, we can put him back to normal, right?"

"That's the idea."

"Great! Thank you, sir."

...

She turned around, the man saying, "Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna go after CLU."

"Do you even know where he is?"

...

She looked down, "No. I've got no idea."

"What a strange User. You're nothing like Flynn or Sam." The woman said.

...

"Come on, Xion. I'll show you the way."

She began to walk towards Xion.

"Quorra, we have to keep moving."

"Yeah. What are you gonna do if Rinzler attacks again?"

...

Quorra turned around, "If we're in a hurry, then we have to take care of Rinzler first."

Xion spoke up, "We can both handle him."

She nodded towards Quorra, who then smiled and nodded towards Flynn.

...

Flynn considered it, then spoke, "Alright. Do what you can. Maybe you and Xion can help Tron."

"Dad. No."

* * *

 _ **Play: Access the Grid - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"Relax, Sam. I have a feeling that Xion is someone we can trust. Now you and me need to press on."

"Okay."

...

They both walked past Xion and Quorra. Sam spoke to Quorra as he did.

"Quorra, be careful."

"You too."

...

Xion smiled at the two of them.

Again, it reminded her of her and Kirux a little bit.

...

...

...

"Alright," Quorra said to her, "It's you and me. You ready, Xion?"

"Yeah! Let's do this, Quorra!"

...

"CLU should be at the helm of his battleship, the Rectifier. We can get there with a Solar Sailer from the underground docks."

"Alright then. Lead the way."

The two of them walked off.

...

...

...

...

...

CLU held the disk before him, the images showing in a digital projection.

Xion standing there, her holding her Keyblade ready to fight, and her opening up a chest.

"What's this? A "Keyblade"..."

He held the disk in one hand before tossing it back to Rinzler.

Rinzler nodded, then walked out of the room.

* * *

 **Spirits Acquired: Cyber Yog, KO Kabuto**

* * *

Xion's Keyblade faded away as Quorra put her disk back.

"What even are these things anyway? They're nothing like CLU's soldiers.

She was talking about Xion's Spirits, who walked back up the the two of them.

...

"The Dream Eaters. They're monsters that feed off of happy dreams. At least, the Nightmares are. These guys are the good ones, Spirits."

She pet the ram behind its horn, "They're hear to help us whenever we need them."

Quorra didn't seem fully convinced, "How can you tell the difference between the two?"

"Well, their colors do look a lot different. The Nightmares are usually darker, like black and purple. The Spirits are a lot lighter, like these two."

...

"I see. And you can control them?"

Xion nodded.

"You really are a lot different than Flynn and Sam." She said, continuing to walk.

...

They entered an elevator, "This should take us down to the docks."

The elevator started going down.

...

...

...

"So, what is it between you and Sam?"

"Huh?"

Xion smiled, "I can tell he cares about you, and you clearly care about him too. So, are you two just friends or..?"

Quorra shook her head, "I don't know. It's...complicated."

"Trust me. I know the feeling. I...get the same feeling with my friend Kirux."

"So, you care about him a lot?"

...

Xion's hands went over her chest, "It's...more than that. Kirux and I...we've been through a lot together. He's given me so much, filled my heart with so much joy and happiness, that I..."

"...I can't imagine living in a world without him."

Quorra smiled, "You two seem like such great friends."

"He's a lot more than my friend. Like, a _whole lot_ more."

"I see," she laughed.

...

 _'That's...really the first time I've ever opened up to somebody about Kirux and I.'_

 _'Man. I miss him so much. I hope I can see him again soon.'_

 _'I mean it. Once this is over, he's mine for a long time.'_

...

The elevator stopped, and they were at the docks.

Luckily for the two of them, there was a Solar Sailer docked there.

"Thank goodness." Quorra said, running over.

"I can get this started up, and we can head for CLU's ship."

"Okay."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Access the Grid - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Xion and Quorra walked into CLU's battleship.

"So," Xion started, "Tron's source code should be in here?"

"It should be."

"Alright."

She ran over to the shelves to look around.

...

...

...

The two of them found nothing.

"It's not here," Quorra started, "Maybe CLU has it with him."

She turned to Xion, "Xion. Let's look elsewhere."

"Okay."

* * *

 _ **Play: Shaded Truths - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

They were about to leave the ship, but the door opened.

Rinzler was standing there.

...

Quorra instinctively took out her disk, but Xion stopped her.

"Wait Quorra! Let me try and talk to Rinzler. Maybe...I can try jog his memory a little."

"He's a program, Xion. It won't work like that."

"That's not true. I've done this before, I can do it again."

...

She walked towards Rinzler.

"Hey! You...used be called "Tron," right? CLU did something with you to mess with your memory. You may be confused, but it's okay. We can fix you."

Rinzler did nothing as she continued, "Tron, you have to remember!"

...

Rinzler pulled his disks out in response.

Xion frowned at him.

He threw the disks at Xion and Quorra, knocking them both onto the ground.

Quorra threw her disk at him.

She caught it as it flew back, "I don't think Rinzler...is going to remember anytime soon."

She ran at him.

"He will. I know he will."

...

She looked up to see Quorra falling to the ground.

"No! Quorra!"

Rinzler brought one of his disks up, "Tron! Don't!

...

The door shut right in her face.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Shaded Truths - KH Birth by Sleep**_

 _ **Play: The Nightmare - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"That's what people do. Put the most precious memories in the back of our minds where they're safe."

...

Vanitas walked up from behind her.

"In your case, I would probably say...hearts. But, we both know you don't have a true heart."

"Not you again!"

...

"The memory and heart are tightly linked."

...

Xion recognized that voice from a long time ago.

He appeared in front of her, next to Vanitas.

"X-Xemnas?! How is this possible?"

...

"Rub a few memories together," he started, "and you get a spark of emotion, a feeling. But in a digital world like this, memory does not work like that. Nothing is ever felt."

"You can have a thousand, a million times the information, but there is still not heart with which to parse it."

"A outside world example of this...would be you, Xion."

...

"Me?"

"Yes. "The Imperfect Replica." No. XIV. You simply were made up of other people's memories, a puppet of Kairi."

"The heart that Kirux caused you to grow, is merely just a figment of data, I'm afraid."

"That's not true!"

...

"Oh, but it is. Answer this one question, Xion. Can you say for sure that that the memories and data that have made up your short life?"

"Yes! My heart and my memories belong to me!"

...

Xemnas turned around, "You'd better check. Make sure the contents of the box match what's on the label..."

"For you are the fallback."

...

Xemnas walked into a dark portal.

"What does he mean by "fallback"?"

"Forget about it."

...

Xion completely forgot about Vanitas.

He spoke again, "Tell me, Xion. Puppet. Is this really a Sleeping World?"

She nodded, not backing down.

"That's where you are mistaken. A digital world like this does not dream. It cannot dream."

The door opened behind her, "This world is real. You have no idea where you are, and you have already wandered off of your appointed path."

"What do you mean?"

...

He just smiled, and walked away.

Xion lost her consciousness.

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Nightmare - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

When she opened her eyes, she was in a massive arena.

...

"What?"

...

An voice boomed around the arena, _"Combatant 14 versus Rinzler."_

...

"Greetings, Xion. I've been waiting."

"Who are you?"

"I am CLU."

...

She gasped, "So it was you. You're the guy who turned Tron into Rinzler!"

"Correct. I had to repurpose his code."

"Well, change him back!"

"Yes, under the right parameters, I might."

"Huh?"

...

"You have a little item called a Keyblade. It can open any lock, is that right? Hand it over, and I'll change Rinzler back into Tron."

Her Keyblade appeared in her hand, "The Keyblade? I - I can't."

She looked back up at CLU, "This what will light the darkness. The thing that makes everyone happy!"

"Ha! Flawed reasoning. I'll have to take it by force."

...

CLU sank into the ground, while Rinzler ran towards her.

* * *

 _ **Play: Rinzler Recompiled - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Rinzler pulled his two disks out. He threw them both at Xion.

She deflected them both with her Keyblade.

...

"Tron, why can't I get through to you?"

"Fight, Xion!"

...

"Quorra! You're okay!"

"Yes. I think Tron heard you, long enough for me to escape. You can do it! You can get through to him."

The ship she was standing on began to fly around, "Xion, you have to fight him!"

...

"But Quorra, how will that work?"

"You have that key! It will bring him to his senses!"

...

Rinzler jumped at her, one of his disks colliding with her Keyblade.

She held him back, then threw him off.

"I'll try!"

Rinzler landed on his feet.

She readied herself, "Let's go, Tron!"

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

She hunched over, breathing heavily.

...

An faded image of Sora appeared around her.

...

The fight between her (with her Spirits of course) and Rinzler wasn't very eventful.

He most kept his distance, and threw his disks at her constantly. At one point, the arena even went upside down.

It was kind of annoying, but she pulled through and had knocked him out.

...

She raised her Keyblade, a large button appearing above Rinzler.

She hit it, and he was lowered to the ground.

Xion's Keyblade faded away.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Rinzler Recompiled - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

CLU resurfaced behind her. He pulled out his disk, and threw it at Xion.

...

Tron noticed this.

Tron jumped up, pushed her out of the way, and blocked it with his disk.

It bounced around the arena, and hit the ground underneath him.

It shattered, and Tron now began to fall.

...

Xion reached out, "Tron!"

He reached for her hand.

He was just out of reach.

Tron fell.

...

...

...

Quorra walked up behind her.

"He reached for my hand." She said, "But...why?"

"Is it because I saved him?"

...

Quorra didn't have an answer.

"You and that key have a special power."

Xion stood up, "So do you, power that made me see it."

"So, does that mean we're friends?"

"Of course."

They both laughed.

...

...

...

Xion was still standing there.

"What did they mean by my memories not belonging to me?"

"Did I...never really grow a heart at all? Am I still just...a puppet of Sora's memory?"

...

The Keyhole appeared above her.

She locked it, the light blinding her.

* * *

 **There we go.**

 **Thanks for reading. I'll see you next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	11. XI - The Grid - Kirux

**Hello again. Sorry for the wait. Things happened and I'd rather not talk about it.**

 **We're jumping straight into Kirux's side of The Grid.**

 **Just a note, there's a song I found that I feel goes really well with this series as a whole. It's "Hold on to You" by NateWantsToBattle. Listen to it. It's really good.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

 ** _Play: Access the Grid - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance_**

* * *

Kirux's eyes opened up quickly, the walls and poles around him all blue with white lights.

There was a blue visor over his eyes, and he could feel a helmet covering his hair. His coat had also been replaced by a long, blue suit of some sorts, with the gray pattern now pulsating.

Not to mention the metal exoskeleton he was wearing, which went from the sides of his legs, arms, up his back, and ended on his neck.

...

He assessed his new outfit, "My clothes...Is this world special?"

A massive light shined down on him, "A Dream Eater?"

When he looked up, a massive ship was floating down towards him.

...

"No...Let's see how this plays out."

The ship landed in front of him.

...

A sensed somebody behind him, and he turned to see two figures in black and orange armor walking towards him. Two more approached from the ship that just landed.

The two from the ship walked up and grabbed his arms, saying "Another stray."

Kirux yanked his arms away from them, "I can walk on my own."

He walked towards and entered the ship, another man already sitting in one of the many ships.

In about a minute or so time, the ship took off and started flying away.

...

...

...

The man next to Kirux spoke, "Are you a prisoner?"

"Yeah. It looks that way."

"The name's Sam."

"I'm Kirux. Where are we, Sam?"

"We're on the Grid."

...

"Do you know where they're taking us?" Kirux asked.

Sam shook his head, "I wish I did. Wherever it is, be prepared for anything."

"Trust me, I will."

...

...

...

When they finally did land, they were inside some large stadium. Sam was taken away, leaving Kirux all alone.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Access the Grid - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

He was standing in the middle of a track when a man spoke to him.

"You're in luck."

...

When Kirux turned around, a man in armor like the others was standing there. His armor was yellow, while the generic orange ones were standing at his sides.

"Only a precious few are granted light cycle battle privileges."

One of the men walked up to Kirux and handed him a baton, of sorts.

"Are you gonna explain why it's so lucky?"

The man smiled, "I'll show you."

...

Kirux didn't have time to gather his thoughts before two people on cycles were racing past him and the others.

He looked down at the baton, "How hard could it be?"

* * *

 _ **Play: Keyblade Cycle - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

He ran forward, and jumped into the air.

From that baton, a cycle of his own appeared out of nowhere.

He raced off, past the men that he had been speaking to.

...

...

...

As Kirux was going, other men on their own cycles raced up to his sides. They both converged on him, trying to knock him off.

Kirux simply jumped over the one to his left, and threw his Keyblade at them both. They were both knocked off of their bikes, and they disintegrated into small fragments.

More of the same would follow for the next few minutes, as Kirux continued to race down the track.

Other men on bikes would try to knock him down, and he'd just get rid of them. Either with the Keyblade, or with the bike itself.

...

It was only a matter of time before the Dream Eaters showed up.

And the one that did was a large one. A massive, mechanical mantis that was gliding straight towards Kirux.

He looked back, noticing it coming closer.

"Oh, great."

It spun around, speed picking up immensely. Kirux was just barely able to jump over it before it ripped him in half.

Two disks appeared at his sides, and they started firing at the Nightmare. The shots were completely ineffective, as the Nightmare didn't even flinch.

It started slashing with it's "arms," or whatever they were called. Disks flew out onto the track, causing Kirux to have to change course a few times.

...

"I'm not getting anywhere." Kirux said, after about his fourth or fifth attack had ended in failure.

"How in the world do I take out this thing?"

...

He got an idea.

He jumped with his cycle, and then jumped off of it in mid-air. It flew towards the Nightmare, and hit it right in the face.

Kirux then kicked one unlucky man off of his cycle, and took it for his own.

He watched the Nightmare fly away.

...

"I think that's enough entertainment for today." He said to himself.

He turned around, brought the disks out, and fired. The shots created a massive hole in the wall, which he was able to drive straight out of and escape.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Keyblade Cycle - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Kirux finally stopped on a bridge, where somebody called to him.

"Kirux!"

He saw Sam running towards him.

...

Kirux got off of his cycle, which disappeared as he walked towards Sam.

"You made it. You escaped from the games."

"Yeah."

"I know a way off of the Grid. You wanna come with?"

...

Kirux looked down.

 _'I...can't, can I?'_

 _'I've still got to find the Keyhole for this place. Once I do, I can move on to the next world.'_

 _'But, a way to get out of this world? That's...not normal.'_

...

"No. You go ahead."

He just had to ask though, "Wait, what's the way out?"

"Through the Portal."

"Portal?"

"Yeah. It's like a gate that opened when I came here. Once I'm back in the outside world I can delete CLU. Then...then my dad will be able to come home."

Kirux got curious now, "Your dad?"

Sam frowned, "He vanished - twenty years ago when he came here to the Grid. But because he needed to protect his disk from CLU, he went into hiding. He's been trapped here ever since."

Sam's frown disappeared, "But I'm gonna change all of that."

...

"I see. Sam, do you mind if I come with you after all? To the Portal?"

"Sure. I'll take what help I can get."

He turned around, "But first there's somebody I need to meet. He's in the City."

"Okay. I'll follow you."

* * *

 _ **Play: Access the Grid - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

As Kirux and Sam walked, Kirux spoke out.

"So, what is it that you're doing here?"

"Like I said earlier. I'm gonna get my dad out of here."

"But couldn't he just get out himself?"

"The Portal doesn't work like that. It can only be opened from the outside world, like a safe."

...

Sam continued, "But because I came in,"

"The Portal is open now, so you both can go home." Kirux finished.

"Bingo."

...

Kirux thought that over.

 _'A Portal between worlds that only opens on one side?'_

 _'That's odd. I've never heard of anything like that.'_

 _'I mean, the dark corridors were kind of the same. Only one side would be open at one time.'_

 _'Was it like that? Man, I don't remember. It's been so long.'_

...

...

...

Eventually, Sam and Kirux arrived in the City. Sam turned back towards Kirux after they stopped walking.

"Alright. Kill some time until I get back."

He didn't give Kirux any time to respond before he was walking away.

...

Kirux crossed his arms over his chest.

"Seriously?"

He sighed, and went to lean against the wall, and waited.

* * *

 **Spirits Acquired: Peepsta Hoo, Eaglider**

* * *

Sam was sure taking his time.

...

Kirux had gotten bored after about ten whole minutes of leaning against the wall.

Eventually, he decided to make new Spirits for this world.

The two that he had created were both flying, and either glided around the area to occupy themselves or just perched themselves on the poles.

Kirux was still leaning against the wall, twirling his Keyblade in his hand.

...

His mind was wandering on random topics. This whole journey, the Dream Eaters, what Sam was doing.

Most notably Xion, and how she was doing.

...

 _'If only there was some way I can check on her, just to make sure she's okay.'_

 _'Man, going through all of this makes me miss her even more.'_

 _'I got so used to waking up every morning with her at my side. To always having her company during the days. The clock tower meet ups in the afternoon with her. Even Hayner, Pence, and Olette would come too, sometimes.'_

 _'I...kind of took it all for granted.'_

 _'We had a good life in Twilight Town, and...I dragged her out of it into this whole thing. All because of those stupid memories.'_

...

Speaking of the memories, who was that man he had seen next to Vanitas?

He looked so much like Terra, only with silver hair and yellow eyes.

Eyes that looked like...Xehanort.

...

 _'What happened in the past, with Terra and Xehanort?'_

 _'How did that man look so much like the two of them, like they had merged into one?'_

 _'Did Xehanort do something to Terra, way back then?'_

 _'And a better question, how does any of it involve me?'_

 _'Where do I come in in this situation? Why am I the only one that seems to be seeing all of this?'_

 _'The dreams, the visions, everything. Why me?'_

* * *

 ** _Stop: Access the Grid - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance_**

 ** _Play: Digital Domination - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance_**

* * *

Nightmares appeared in front of him, pulling him out of his thoughts.

He smiled, "At least I finally have something to do."

He ran towards the Nightmares.

...

...

...

Kirux's Spirits actually proved to be more effective than other times. They actually attacked the Nightmares continuously, instead of just on occasion.

The owl fired projectiles at the Nightmares, while the large bird dropped bombs on them. All of this while Kirux attacked with his normal combos and Flowmotion.

He was glad he had learned about Flowmotion here in the Sleeping Worlds. It made fighting way more easier.

That and the Spirits. They took some of the pressure off of him too.

He wondered why he hadn't learned about them both in the real world, but he put it off to focus on fighting.

...

In only a short amount of time, the Nightmares were defeated.

Kirux's Keyblade faded away.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Digital Domination - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

He heard a sound come from behind him, where Sam had walked off to.

Kirux ran in that direction, his Spirits following behind him.

...

He saw two figures walking away, one carrying another in their arms.

Kirux noticed one of them was Sam.

"Sam!" He called out.

...

Sam and the other man turned around.

The new man spoke, "Who's this?"

"I'm Kirux. Sam and I were heading for the Portal."

The man looked at Sam, who nodded.

"Come with us."

...

"With all due respect, I'm not going anywhere unless you tell me who you are."

"I understand. You don't know who you can or cannot trust these days. I'm Sam's father, Kevin Flynn."

"You're Sam's dad?"

"Yes. Now that you know, will you come with us?"

Kirux was still a little skeptical, but nodded, "Where are we heading?"

"The Portal, but we're gonna need a Solar Sailer. There should be one in the underground docks."

...

Kirux looked at Sam, who nodded to him.

"Alright. I'll follow you."

They all walked off.

...

...

...

"So you created this place?"

"Yes. Long ago, me and a friend created The Grid."

"What happened to it? Like, if you created this place, why doesn't anyone else listen to you?"

Flynn hesitated, "I'd...rather not talk about it. It's not something I like to talk about."

...

"Alright," Kirux said, "I get it."

"Do you have memories like that, Kirux?"

...

 _'Man, where do I even begin?'_

 _'That whole debacle with Ansem, the day Xion went away, the Underworld.'_

 _'Abandoning Xion. Over, and over, and over again.'_

 _'Losing Namin_ _é, Roxas, and Axel.'_

...

"A few," was all he said.

But he knew it was a lot more than a few.

In all honestly, most if not all of Kirux's past memories he never wanted to talk about.

It brought back nothing good.

...

...

...

In time, they eventually found a Solar Sailer, and we're what Kirux assumed was the Portal.

Flynn was fiddling with some disk while Sam held it. Kirux could only assume the data on there was for the unconscious woman, who's name he'd learned was Quorra.

...

"Is she gonna make it?" Sam asked.

"I don't know." Flynn answered bluntly.

"But didn't you write her code?"

"Some of it. But the rest is just...beyond me."

"She's an ISO."

Kirux spoke up then, "ISO?"

"A whole new life form. Quorra is the last ISO."

...

"Did you create them like you did the Grid?" Kirux asked.

Flynn smiled, "They manifested, like a flame. They weren't really...really from anywhere. The conditions were right, and they came into being."

He continued, "For centuries we've dreamed of a pure existence beyond our own. I found them in here, like flowers in a wasteland. They were spectacular."

"Everything I'd hoped to find in the system - control, order, perfection - none of it meant a thing. The ISOs - they were gonna be my gift to the world."

...

He pulled something away from the data, "There. Good as new. It'll take a while for her system to reboot."

Kirux asked another question, "So what happened? To your gift?"

Flynn and Sam had stood up, "CLU. CLU happened. He was built to create the perfect system. But endless potential can never, ever be fully realized. CLU saw the ISOs as an imperfection, so he destroyed them."

Sam spoke, "He screwed up."

Flynn again, "No. He's me. I screwed it up. Chasing after perfection. Chasing after what was right in front of me."

He was looking intently at Sam, "Right in front of me."

...

"I see." Kirux said, walking away.

"Look to hard for one thing, and you miss everything else. And then, people around you get hurt in the process."

He stopped on the edge, "Like myself. My own desire to fully control the darkness in my heart brought out Ansem."

"Xion got hurt because of it, and so did Sora."

"So if we're not careful, any one of us could end up plunging others into the darkness."

...

A ship sailed by them.

"Great. They found us."

"We've been put on a new course."

* * *

 _ **Play: Shaded Truths - KH Birth By Sleep**_

* * *

The Solar Sailer was stopped. Everybody had gotten off, even Quorra.

She nearly attacked Kirux when she woke up, but Sam and Flynn had stopped her.

...

She peaked out, a man in armor walking on the Solar Sailer.

Everyone was silent, until Quorra removed the disk from her back.

...

She turned and handed it to Flynn, speaking to Sam, "Good-bye."

She ran out, ignoring all of their calls.

...

...

...

"She's removing herself from the equation." Flynn said, as the man in armor took her away.

"We can't just let her go."

"Yeah."

...

Flynn turned towards Sam, "No. Hold on, Sam. What about getting you to the Portal? You shut them down from the outside."

"But Quorra comes first! And we still have to get back your disk!"

"Sam, if you chase two rabbits, you won't catch either."

Kirux spoke up, "If this is a father-son thing, I won't butt in, but we should probably get back that disk at least - or else CLU will use it to destroy the outside world."

He stepped out, "Come on, Sam."

...

Sam nodded, "Right. Meet us on the flight deck, and get us some wheels."

"Wheels? What's your plan?"

"I'm a User. I'll improvise."

...

Sam and Kirux ran off.

"Kirux! I've gotta save Quorra too!"

"I know. We will. Just let me clear the way."

He grinded on the rail, and jumped away.

...

...

...

Sam finally caught up to Kirux, after he had just took out three of those guards.

"You could have waited a little while."

Kirux smiled, "Sorry. I'm a little impatient sometimes."

"Let's just get up there and get Quorra back. She should be on the ship, and the disk too."

"Alright."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Shaded Truths - KH Birth By Sleep**_

 _ **Play: Digital Domination - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Sam walked forward, the disk hanging there.

When he grabbed and pulled it away, sirens started going off.

...

The man and Quorra reappeared at the entrance to the ship.

"Sam! Go!" She yelled before being thrown away. The man pulled two disks out.

Kirux's Keyblade appeared as Sam threw his own disk, only for the man to jump over it.

...

Kirux jumped onto the wall, and flew towards the man. With two strikes, Kirux sent him flying out of the ship.

"What are you doing here?"

"To the flight deck."

"But CLU will be here any minute. We'll never make it."

"Don't worry. Kirux is here to help."

"Yeah. Now let's go."

...

They all ran towards the flight deck, where Flynn was waiting with a ship.

The ship flew them straight to the Portal.

...

...

...

When they landed, all of them ran.

Three turrets were in their way.

"Those turrets are going tear us apart."

"I'll handle them." Said Kirux.

He grinded on the rail towards them, jumped into the air, and slammed the ground with his Keyblade.

The turrets were no more.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Digital Domination - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

They all ran up the stairs.

CLU was waiting for them, in the path to the Portal.

...

"This is mine." Said Flynn, walking towards CLU.

"I had a feeling you'd be here."

...

"You! You promised that we would change the world together! You broke your promise!"

* * *

 _ **Play: Gigabyte Mantis - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

The same Nightmare from the arena appeared behind CLU.

"I took the system to its maximum potential. And now, you see the applications at my disposal!"

...

Kirux's Keyblade appeared, and his Spirits did above him and the others.

He walked forward, speaking to Flynn as he passed, "You can leave this one to me."

When he got close, he readied himself.

"Ready for Round Two?"

...

...

...

Kirux and his Spirits went crazy. The Nightmare did very little to stop their onslaught in the beginning, only sending out disks on occasion to attack them.

Kirux was really glad his Spirits could both fly, as they didn't have to deal with the Nightmare's next attacks.

The disks were now being sent out a lot faster, a lot more often, and in way higher numbers. Kirux was taking a beating from the ground, and staying in the air wasn't very easy.

It didn't help that the Nightmare was able to move around the ring of the area at a really high speed. So high that if Kirux was too close, he'd get hit and hurt.

But his Spirits just kept going and pouring on the attacks. Kirux did the same, when he could.

After he had hit the Nightmare with a blast of dark fire, Kirux tried doing something else.

...

He wanted to use his Dream Eater's powers for his own.

 _'How in the world would I do that?'_ He thought to himself.

...

It happened out of nowhere.

He had absorbed both of his Spirits, and was now enveloped in a blue glow. He could feel wings on his back.

"Alright. Here we go."

...

He flew into the air, and began attacking the Nightmare right in the face. The combos he performed were longer, and the attacks took more time to dish out. But it all paid off, because he did a ton of damage.

Especially the finishing move, where he spun around and made a large tornado. That seemed to knock the Nightmare off, and it glowed blue on its own.

Kirux's Spirits returned to his sides, and he reverted back to normal.

He put his Keyblade into the air, and a beam of light shot into the sky.

That same beam then shot down through the center of the Nightmare.

With that attack, it was defeated.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Gigabyte Mantis - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

The Nightmare disappeared.

...

CLU turned around, "I created the perfect system!"

"The thing about perfection is that it's unknowable. It's impossible, but it's also...right in front of us. All the time. You wouldn't know that because I didn't when I created you. I'm sorry, CLU. I'm sorry."

...

CLU didn't take that too kindly, and kicked Flynn back by Quorra and Sam. Sam tried to tackle CLU, but he just ended up getting thrown away.

Kirux stood between CLU and Sam, Keyblade at the ready.

"Try it. I dare you."

...

Quorra then landed next to them.

"CLU! Remember what you came for."

He walked up to Flynn, and took the disk off of his back.

He thought it would be his, but it wasn't.

"No..."

...

Quorra pulled a disk off of her back. Flynn's disk.

Her and Sam were in the middle of the Portal.

"No. Why?"

"He's my son."

...

...

...

CLU lifted the disk up, and threw it down at the ground by Flynn's head.

"Go!" He yelled, as CLU jumped to get to the other side of the bridge, which had closed.

"Dad!"

...

"Sam! It's time!"

"No!"

"Sam. It's what he wants."

"I'm not leaving you!"

"Take her!"

...

Quorra gave Sam the disk.

Kirux spoke up, "You two need to get out of here now."

CLU had nearly gotten back up.

...

Sam put the disk up, a pillar of light surrounding him and Quorra. Kirux was stunned at the sight.

CLU finally got up.

Kirux snapped out of it, and got in his way.

"Don't even think about it."

...

...

...

A circle of light came from Flynn, and it sucked CLU back towards him.

When the two collided, there was an explosion.

Kirux wasn't sure if it was the Portal or the explosion that blinded him temporarily.

...

His vision returned.

Flynn was gone. Sam was gone. Quorra was gone. CLU was gone.

The Portal was gone too.

...

"These gateways between worlds, maybe when we pass through them, we change. It challenges us, and shows that we have more trials that we have to overcome."

He smiled, "But we'll be ready for them. Right Xion?"

...

The Keyhole appeared.

Kirux unlocked it, and lost his vision once more.

* * *

 **Be honest with me. When you read the chapters, do you listen to the music along with it? I want to know because I'm curios.**

 **Anyways, that's all this time. See you in the next chapter.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	12. XII - Traverse Town II - Kirux

**These chapters are taking way to long for me to put out. Do you guys remember the summer, when I put up a chapter for "The Soldier of Darkness" like everyday for two weeks? Ah...good times.  
**

 **There isn't one main reason why it takes forever, just...ugh. There are too many reasons that I'd rather not talk about, so...yeah.**

 **Let's just move on. Here's the next one.**

* * *

 ** _Play: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance_  
**

* * *

Kirux walked forward into the center of the First District.

...

Wait, the First District?

Oh yeah. He was back in Traverse Town. But...why?

"Traverse Town? Why am I back?"

...

Just a second ago, he had unlocked the Keyhole in The Grid. Normally how it worked was he'd wake up in the next world, then he'd go off and do his thing.

But why Traverse Town again? Him and Xion had already found the Keyhole there, so he shouldn't have come back, right?

Maybe he didn't find the correct Keyhole? Or something bad had come up and they needed help?

He really didn't know. Maybe someone in town would have the answers.

...

That someone he had hoped for was walking towards him. He could sense it.

He smiled, "Joshua."

...

Joshua spoke, "Nice of you to join us."

"What happened?" He said, turning towards him.

"Trouble happened. I was hoping one of you could help."

...

 _'One of you...'_

 _'I guess Xion must be here too.'_

...

"When did Xion get here?"

"Bravo, Kirux. How come Xion can't be this quick on the uptake?"

Joshua smiled, "It seems like all she ever thinks about is you, and vice versa."

...

Kirux rubbed his hair in embarrassment, "Well, you know. Xion and I are a little..."

He just laughed.

...

...

...

Joshua's face turned serious, "Now, let's get down to the problem. We've got a nasty Dream Eater on our hands. It keeps jumping between worlds. Not only that, it knows how to summon creatures like it - pretty powerful ones, too. Some that I've never seen before. The others are on a mission to stop it, but they need help."

"The others? You mean Shiki and her friends?"

"That's right. They all found their Game partners, and Shiki is over fighting in the other Traverse Town. In fact, Xion is helping them out."

"Well that's good. At least I know she's okay."

He smiled, "So what can I do?"

"I just knew you'd bring Xion up again," Joshua laughed, "But anyways, the Dream Eater just reappeared in the Fourth District. I sent Beat and his partner to face it. Be careful along the way though. Those monsters I haven't seen before are all over the place."

"Nothing I can't handle. I'm on it."

Kirux walked past him.

...

...

...

Joshua turned back and spoke again, "Kirux. There's something else you should know."

Kirux stopped.

"These two Traverse Towns connected by the Portal...I had the impression they were parallel worlds, but it looks like I was wrong."

Kirux turned around fully, "Wrong how?"

"That's where it gets tricky. After you and Xion left, Shiki crossed the Portal to join her Game partner. Did you notice Players have a mission timer inscribed on their hands?"

Kirux nodded.

"Well, when she got to the other side, Shiki had more time left on her clock than her partner. And when Beat's partner crossed over from the other side, she had less time left."

"So time flows differently here and there?"

...

"So what? That's true of any two worlds. Their home world would be running on a different time axis, too."

"Yes, I understand that. But if these Traverse Towns were parallel worlds, then time would flow the same in both. But...it doesn't, ergo they are not parallel worlds."

"So, does that mean there is a past and a future?"

"No. Impossible. The worlds are clearly separate - it's not just time that sets them apart. As you yourself noted, every world flows at its own place, which tells me that for all their similarities, they are two distinct worlds."

Kirux crossed his arms over his chest, "Distinct worlds?"

"Yes...but this is all conjecture. It's like the same world imagined by two people. What does that tell you? That we're in..."

...

Kirux thought it over.

"We're in...a dream..."

"Yes. Bravo again, Kirux. In which case this may not matter one bit to me and my friends. But to you and Xion, I think it may be a vital clue."

"Right...thanks."

...

"So, you needed me in the Fourth District?"

"Wow. I'm starting to run out of "bravos.""

Kirux laughed, "I'll be right back."

...

...

...

Joshua smiled, "Aren't you forgetting someone?"

"Huh?"

The Spirits he had made back during his first visit appeared. The panda stood to his left, while the bat landed on his right shoulder.

Kirux smiled, "Hey! It's you two."

...

"I took care of them for you while you were gone, Xion's too."

"Really?"

Joshua nodded.

"Wow. Thanks Joshua."

"It was nothing. Now, you need to get going."

"Right. The Fourth District."

...

He turned and ran, his Spirits following behind him.

...

...

...

Kirux ran through the back streets of town, and thought about what Joshua said to him.

...

 _'So, one of these two worlds is a dream. At least, that's what Joshua is saying.'_

 _'How does that work though? How does a dream take shape in another world?'_

 _'And of both Traverse Towns, mine and Xion's, which one of them is the dream world?'_

 _'Is it mine, because of how powerful my dreams are? Or is it Xion's?'_

 _'Joshua really didn't elaborate on that part, when I really don't understand.'_

 _'I just hope that Xion is alright without me.'_

...

He laughed at himself on the inside.

 _'Why am I so worried? Xion's tough. She can handle herself just fine, even without me.'_

 _'But still...a status update in person would be nice. Just saying.'_

* * *

 _ **Stop: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

When he got to the waterway he had taken his first time through, monsters appeared around him.

They weren't Nightmares, however.

They were the ones Joshua had mentioned. The ones he'd never seen before.

Kirux had though. He remembered seeing them in Sora's heart, when he went to rescue Xion.

...

"Unversed?!" He said, as more surrounded him and his Spirits.

...

 _'Vanitas,'_ He thought to himself, _'He did this. It had to have been him.'_

...

Kirux didn't let that fact, or the numbers of the Unversed, faze him. His Keyblade appeared in his hand.

"All right, you two." He said, "Let's get them!"

Him and his Spirits ran into the crowd of Unversed.

...

...

...

After defeating that large crowd, Kirux and his Spirits ran through the entirety of the Fountain Plaza. Any Unversed that were encountered Kirux either swatted away or ran past them. His Spirits really didn't do much of all.

Eventually he found Beat and his Partner in the Fourth District. They were standing against the Nightmare, which was a pelican that looked like a wizard.

...

Kirux ran up, "Beat!"

"About time, yo!"

"Beat, what happened to your Dream Eaters?" Kirux asked as his own stopped behind him.

"Don't need them when I've got my Game partner. And I don't need you!"

...

His partner scoffed, "Oh, here we go again. Five seconds ago, it was, "Where's Kirux?" - and now the act?"

"Bwaah! Don't tell him that!" Beat said with clear embarrassment.

The girl laughed.

...

The Nightmare twitched.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Innocent Times - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

"It's so nice to meet you. I'm Rhyme," she said, as Kirux let his Keyblade fade away, "Kirux, right? Sorry my partner is acting like a doofus."

Beat got upset after that, "I am not! You always gotta go around and...garnish my reputation!"

"Since when? You burned that bridge all by yourself. "Nobody raises his reputation by lowering others.""

...

Kirux watched the two of them go back and forth, bickering at one another.

He smiled, and then started laughing.

Beat noticed that, "Yo, Kirux. You just gonna sit there and let her get all up in my grill?"

He calmed himself down, "Sorry, it's just...you two are cut from the same cloth."

Both of them responded, "I know!" "I ain't made of cloth!"

...

The Nightmare twitched again.

...

Rhyme giggled and spoke, "Beat may look and talk like a punk, but there's a heart of gold in there somewhere."

"Yeah. He's come through for me, so I know what you mean. My friend Axel was the same way, somewhat."

Beat spoke up now, "There, see? I'm a - Rhyme! You didn't just call me a punk again!"

Rhyme laughed in embarrassment, and Kirux laughed with her.

...

...

...

All of that happiness caused the Nightmare to snap. It screamed at the three of them.

* * *

 ** _Stop: Innocent Times - KH Birth by Sleep_**

* * *

"All right," Kirux started, Keyblade appearing and readying himself, "Now we've ruffled his feathers. You two ready for this?"

"Yeah!" They both said in unison.

...

Lightning bolts hit the ground, and smaller Nightmares were spawning out of the ground. A few Unversed also appeared along with them.

...

The target Nightmare flew away.

Beat turned to Kirux, "Me and Rhyme will handle things here!"

Rhyme shouted, "You go after that thing!"

Kirux nodded, "Okay!"

He turned around towards his Spirits, "You two stay with them!"

Kirux hopped onto a rail, after the Nightmare.

...

...

...

He was running through the Fountain Plaza, and nearly caught up to the Nightmare.

Even with Flowmotion, though, it was still a struggle to keep up.

Kirux could barely keep up, and it cost him in a big way.

...

The Nightmare struck the pothole in the center with lightning.

Kirux didn't think that would do anything. But boy, was he wrong.

 _So_ wrong.

...

He took two steps onto the manhole, before he was being sent flying through the air.

He landed on his feet, and turned around immediately.

Someone came out from underneath the manhole. Two different shades of blue made up their outfit, and they were missing their left leg.

The Nightmare laughed from a distance, and flew away.

* * *

 _ **Play: The Encounter - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

"Who are you?" Kirux yelled, as they (Man? Thing? He didn't know.) turned around towards him.

Whatever they were, they didn't seem to be very friendly. He immediately ran at Kirux and tried to punch him.

Kirux rolled to his side, "All right then. I guess we'll have to do this the hard way."

His Keyblade appeared in his hand.

...

...

...

The stranger (Kirux decided to call them that) attacked Kirux relentlessly. They were constantly punching at him, or body slamming the ground whenever he'd get to far, or using long combos to try and take him down. Kirux was on the run for the most part, as he could never get close enough without getting hit.

He tried using Flowmotion a few times throughout the battle, but everytime he would he'd get knocked out of the air and into a wall. It seemed like whoever he was fighting knew how to counter just about every attack Kirux knew how to do.

Well, except his magic. He had resorted to using whatever he could, from dark fire to mines to even balloons. The balloons seemed to be the most effective, along with the mines.

Kirux even one time conjured a massive fireball, which shot smaller fireballs at his target. All but one of them made contact, and from Kirux saw, it did a lot of damage.

But whoever this was was still not finished. His attacks now came in more rapid succession, Kirux not getting as lucky with his escapes this time.

For a while, the two of them just exchanged attacks. The stranger with his combos, and Kirux with continuous magic. Neither of them could get a clear advantage over the other.

...

After a while, the stranger began charging up electricity. Bolts of lightning hit the ground around him and the area, some of them doing damage to Kirux.

"Yeah, like that's fair." He whispered to himself.

The stranger's attacks were exactly the same as before, just more powerful. Electricity would erupt around the impacts of his attacks, causing Kirux to have to dodge further than normal.

His attacks, however, weren't weakened. The balloons and mines did just as much damage, if not more, than before. He staggered the stranger many times.

But all of his attacks didn't stop the stranger from doing what he did next.

...

He jumped onto a building, and then jumped again down towards Kirux.

"Aw, come on man." He whispered, and ran away. Kirux was just able to get away from his initial landing and everytime he bounced towards him.

Kirux retaliated by shooting a blast of dark fire at him. The blast hit the stranger right in the face, temporarily blinding him.

 _'There. Now finish it!'_

...

Kirux jumped onto a wall, and flew towards the stranger. He had recovered from the blast to the face, and brought his hand up to punch Kirux.

Normally he would have backed off, but Kirux didn't this time.

His blade collided with the stranger's fist, and there was a burst of light.

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Encounter - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

The stranger scrambled back into the manhole, as Kirux stood down.

He took a deep breath, and spoke, "What was all that about?"

...

"Kirux! What are ya doin', yo?!"

Beat and Rhyme were running up to him.

"Weren't you chasing that Nightmare like we said to?"

"I was, but...I got sidetracked."

* * *

 _ **Play: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

More Unversed and Nightmares appeared around them.

"I'll go after it again! Can you two handle these guys again?"

Beat and Rhyme both nodded, and Kirux took off again.

...

...

...

The Nightmare by the time he found it again was in the back streets of town. Kirux watched as it conjured up Nightmares and Unversed in his path.

"It never ends, does it?" He asked himself, and ran into the crowd of enemies.

As he fought, the Nightmare flew away again.

"Come on! Can't you stay in one spot for two minutes?!" He yelled, as an Unversed grabbed the end of his Keyblade. He pulled it away, and sent the Unversed flying into a Nightmare.

...

It didn't take long for him to defeat the enemies, and Joshua appeared above him.

"Kirux," He said, "The Third District! We're going to pin it between both worlds!"

"Okay!"

Kirux ran towards the Third District as Joshua disappeared.

...

 _'Man, how much am I going to have to run today?'_

...

...

...

He chased the Nightmare into the Third District, just like Joshua said. It went to fly to the First District, but Kirux landed right in its path.

"I've got you now!"

Beat and Rhyme finally showed up.

...

Kirux went to attack the Nightmare, but before he could, it disappeared through a portal.

It escaped to the other Traverse Town. Xion's Traverse Town.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Twister - Kingdom Mix - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Kirux's Keyblade faded away, "Xion, you've got this now. I believe in you."

...

Beat and Rhyme walked over, Beat speaking, "This is so tired, yo. Every time we chase him down

Kirux interrupted, "I know, but we've got an ally on the other side. Don't worry."

"Yeah, well...I still don't like it."

...

Joshua spoke as he sailed down towards them, "You know, you are such a good listener, Beat. You're like a sponge, really."

"Me? I'm not a sponge. I'm just me." That statement caused Rhyme to giggle.

"You mean "Daisukenojo Bito"?"

Beat covered his face in embarrassment, "Hey! Don't use my full name!"

"That's a weird name."

"Hey!"

...

All of them laughed, especially Kirux.

A glow came down on all of them, as the Keyhole appeared.

"Well," Kirux said with a smile, "It's time for me to go."

...

Rhyme spoke up, "Hey Kirux - thanks."

Then Beat, "Yeah. Stay cool. We'll catch up with you soon."

"Say hi to Xion for me!"

"Sure."

...

Joshua was more serious, "Kirux, remember what I said. Be careful. If this really is a dream, it's going to lie to you, try and make you think it's real."

"I got it."

Beat started, "Huh? I don't got it."

"You and Xion would probably crack your heads on this one."

"Bwaaah?"

They all laughed again.

...

Kirux unlocked the Keyhole, and was blinded by the light that followed.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Twister - Kingdom Mix - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Meanwhile, Sora was seated in the Round Room alone. His eyes were shut, and the chair he was in lowered below the podium before him.

Young Xehanort looked down on him, and smiled.

* * *

 **There. Finally done.**

 **Hope you enjoyed, and let me know what you thought.**

 **See you next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	13. XIII - Traverse Town II - Xion

**Hey everyone.**

 **I've actually had a really good week so far. Things are going good, and hopefully there won't be any setbacks. lol**

 **Let's just continue.**

* * *

 _ **Play: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

She was confused when her eyes opened up again.

She was standing in the Fifth District, back in Traverse Town.

...

"Huh? I'm back in Traverse Town."

...

Joshua spoke from behind her.

"Why, hello down there, Xion. I've been waiting."

When she turned around, Joshua was up on the ledge.

...

"You know you can wait on the ground, right? Come down so we can talk."

Joshua seemed hesitant, "Now?"

Xion smiled, "What do you mean, "now"? I thought you said you were waiting."

...

...

...

Joshua did hop down to Xion's level, speaking as he walked towards her, "You know, you're turning more into Neku."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No. In fact, forget about it. I was hoping you two could-,"

...

Xion interrupted him, ""You two"? Does that mean Kirux is here?"

"Yes, but you and he are still a world apart."

...

Xion frowned, all of her hope was gone.

"Don't worry about him," Joshua said, "He's glad to know you're okay."

"Yeah, but..." She sighed, "It's just...I miss him..."

"I know you do. He misses you too, but you'll find each other soon. I know you will."

...

Xion nodded, "Yeah."

Joshua smiled at her, "Just look at Neku. He and the others all found their Game partners."

"Oh, so they're all back home safe now?"

He shook his head, "Remember what I told you. Their existence is on the line and the Reapers are dead set on erasing them for good. But they found refuge in this world, and luckily...each other too."

She responded as he walked past her, "Reapers?"

She walked with him as he talked, "Right. If Neku and the others want to get back to the world they came from, they have to win the "Reapers' Game". It's like a series of missions. Those are the rules of their home ground. Except...this missions is a tough one. They're pitted against a Dream Eater that can summon a hundred more like it. Even creatures I've never seen before."

"What are they called? The other creatures, I mean."

"I'm not sure. I thought you or Kirux would know something, but...it looks like I was half wrong."

"Hey!"

...

Joshua laughed, "Anyways, I was sorta thinking you and Kirux could help us out. You two have your Keyblades, and with those, we might still have a chance."

"Well, I'm glad he's here with me. At least I won't have to do it alone."

"Well, he's on one side of the Portal, and you're on the other. He might be by your side - he might be a million miles away. You can't measure the distance in time or space. Even without the wall between you, it's hard to say."

Xion smiled, "Don't worry. He's with me. He always is, even if it may seem like he's not."

...

Joshua looked away, "You two are lucky."

"What? Are you jealous of me and Kirux?"

"In all honesty, a little."

She giggled, "Don't be. Everyone has somebody we're close to. I'm just...I guess I am a little lucky I met Kirux."

"My point exactly."

They both laughed.

...

"Anyways, Neku and his partner are pinned down in the Fountain Plaza. I can count on you, right?"

"Always!" She said, jumping down and running towards the exit.

...

"Wait Xion." Joshua said, "Aren't you forgetting someone?"

She stopped, confused by what he said. Until she heard a cry of a Spirit from behind her.

She gasped, and turned around. Her Spirits from her first visit were running towards her.

Xion smiled as the Spirits reached her. The two of them knocked her onto her back from the impacts. They both harassed her, giving her no personal space at all.

"Hey! Hey! Calm down!" She said, pushing them both off of her.

Both of the Spirits were still right in her face as she sat up. She pet them both as Joshua spoke down to her.

...

"I took care of your Spirits while you were away, yours and Kirux's. I've got to say, yours are a lot more...rowdy than his."

Xion laughed, "I could expect that from these two."

"You should probably do a better job at controlling them."

...

Xion stood up, "I'll try to keep them under control."

"Please do. They were a hassle, even for me."

"Alright! Come on you two! Neku needs our help!"

Her and her Spirits ran towards the Fountain Plaza.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

When she got to the Fountain Plaza, Neku and his partner, a girl, were being attacked by a bunch of Nightmares and the monsters Joshua mentioned.

Xion recognized them though.

They were the monsters that came from Vanitas, she had learned that from when she was trapped in Sora's heart.

Unversed, she thought they were called.

...

 _'If Vanitas was around, I guess the Unversed had to show up at some time.'_

...

She ran over towards Neku, who was bracing as a fireball came flying towards him.

Fortunately, she got in front of the attack just in time.

...

...

...

"Miss me?" She said, standing between Neku and the enemies.

Neku seemed surprised, "Xion?"

"Let me take things from here."

"No," he said, the girl he was with walking up beside him, "I don't need your help."

"Of course you do. Where are your Dream Eaters? How else can you fight?"

"I don't need them anymore."

"Oh, right. Your partner. Well, don't you want to make it out of the Game? Who's gonna help her if you get hurt?"

...

Neku gave up, "Okay, you win. I'll let you do the sweating."

Neku and his partner ran off, as Xion and her Spirits went after the Nightmares and Unversed.

...

...

...

Taking out the enemies was nothing for Xion and her Spirits.

The Nightmare they were after though was taunting her from the sky.

It teleported away though, "He got away."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Hand to Hand - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"Xion." She hear Neku say, as he and his partner walked towards her.

Xion's Keyblade faded out of her hand.

...

"So, you must be Neku's partner."

"Yeah. I'm Shiki. It's nice to meet you. Neku told me all about you."

"That's nice. But, you should have seen him. Neku looked everywhere for you."

Neku got slightly embarrassed, "Hey, Xion, stop talking!"

She smiled, "But why? You said you needed her. That's not a bad thing."

He looked down, shaking his head.

...

"That's sweet, Neku."

He looked away, "I need you to stop annoying me."

"Well, I still think it's sweet. It's nice to be needed."

Xion giggled lightly, which (sort of) made Neku more upset, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. It's just...you're _soo_ _o_ much like Kirux. It's funny."

"So you're the girl Kirux mentioned?"

...

"Kirux...told you about me?"

"Yeah," Shiki said, smiling, "He was such a nice guy. I can tell he really cares about you."

She laughed lightly, "He was actually pretty embarrassed about it at first."

Xion smiled now, "Yeah. That sounds like something he would do."

...

...

...

"I'm sorry, is this a bad time?" Joshua said as he walked towards the trio, "Because that Dream Eater we're after just retreated to the other imagining of this world."

""Other imagining"? So...where Kirux is?"

"Yes. He and our other friends will do what they can. But we'll just run ourselves in circles at this rate. We need to trap that thing in one place, and then we can finish it."

"Trap it where?"

"The Third District."

"Alright. If Kirux and the others can lure it there, I'll take down the Dream Eater for you."

"You will?" Shiki asked.

"Yeah. I can handle it. Let's go!"

Her and the others ran to the Third District.

They had almost left the Fountain Plaza before Xion stopped.

...

"What's the matter?"

She looked down, "It's...it's Kirux. I'm worried about him on the other side."

"You see, a while ago, Kirux was struggling with the darkness inside of his heart. He says that the only thing that kept him fighting and not falling in...was me."

"I was always at his side when he needed me the most. Whenever trouble came, I was right there to help him."

"So, if he's on the other side and I'm over here, I'm just...worried that Kirux won't be able to keep control of himself."

...

Shiki walked closer to her, "Don't be so worried. Kirux is tough. He'll keep fighting. Besides, if you two are as close as you both say, then you're never truly apart from one another."

Shiki smiled at her.

Xion smiled back, "Yeah. You're right."

"Are you always this worried about him?"

"Umm...maybe..."

Shiki laughed.

Neku caught up to them, "What are you two doing?"

"We're waiting on you."

"Why?"

"Don't worry about it. Let's just go."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Xion walked forward into the Third District. Joshua was up to her right, Neku and Shiki up to her left.

The Portal appeared, and the Nightmare flew through.

...

Her Keyblade appeared, "I've got this, Kirux!"

"It's working. He pulled through for us."

A whole bunch of smaller Nightmares flew over Joshua and Shiki and Neku.

"We'll handle things over here! You just focus on the boss!"

"Will do!"

...

A massive portal was forming out of the ground.

* * *

 _ **Play: Untamable - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 **AN: Let me know who else hated this fight in DDD.**

* * *

The same massive Nightmare she had fought in her first visit appeared out of that portal.

Xion readied herself, along with her Spirits.

...

...

...

Fighting this Nightmare again was not an enjoyable experience.

It wasn't that the fight was hard, it was just that dodging its attacks was so much harder now that the arena was so condensed.

The Third District was tiny compared to the Fifth, and it's small size made the battle just that much harder.

Luckily, the Nightmare seemed to be a little weaker than before. It staggered from her attacks a lot more often, and it's own attacks didn't seem to do as much damage.

Thankfully, she took it down very quickly.

Unfortunately, she still wasn't done.

...

The Nightmare she was after reappeared. This time, it summoned the Nightmare she fought back in La Cité des Cloches.

This fight was just as tough as the first one.

As if dodging attacks wasn't hard already, the fire that this Nightmare brought out made it ten times worse.

Xion barely could dodge the attacks, and her original plan on attacking from a distance was all but eliminated.

But, by sheer luck, she was able to take it down just as quickly as the first.

But she _still_ wasn't done.

...

The Nightmare reappeared again, and conjured up another monster. This time it was a giant Unversed, one that had a whole bunch of weird...contraptions. One arm had a spindle, while another had a wheel on it.

Out of all the enemies, this one was the easiest. It's attacks almost always missed, and when they did connect, they didn't do much damage to Xion.

Her Spirits, however, weren't so lucky. They were worn out and tired from the first two fights, and the Unversed was too fast for them.

They were both eliminated, the fragments of light used to create them falling to the ground.

"No!" Xion yelled.

That made her angry, so...she unleashed an attack she'd never used before.

She froze the Unversed in place, and slashed it five times. The five slices caused the Unversed to disappear immediately.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Untamable - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

She was finally about to take on the Nightmare she was after when the Keyhole appeared.

The Nightmare saw it too, and flew towards it.

...

"No! Not again!" She yelled, as it flew straight into the Keyhole.

...

Neku and the others walked up behind her.

"Hey Josh, where did that thing go?"

Joshua's voice was full of disappointment, "Somewhere else. Out of Traverse Town, and out of my reach. We'll just have to let it go."

"Great."

"So we failed the mission."

Joshua didn't respond, and everyone lapsed into silence.

* * *

 _ **Play: Calling - Kingdom Mix - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Xion spoke up, "I'll go after it!"

"What?" Neku said, being in a similar state of shock as everyone else.

"Come on. I'm not an actual Player. Can't I bend the rules?"

...

"Well," Joshua started, "I guess the rules of the world don't apply if your hearts are connected - right, Xion? That's just how you are."

"Yeah! It's settled then."

...

She turned around, her Keyblade reappearing.

The Keyhole appeared again.

...

Neku spoke up, "Xion."

She turned back.

Neku was smiling at her, "Thanks. It wasn't easy, but you made it easier."

She smiled and nodded to him.

...

"Wow Neku," Shiki said, "You've changed."

"Huh? You think?"

"Yeah, you're less dorky."

"What?"

Shiki giggled, "Once you find Kirux, Xion, you should come hang out in our town!"

"Definitely. We'll see you in Shibuya."

Xion turned back, "Sure. It's a deal."

...

She walked back, put her hand out in front of her. Neku and Shiki both put their hands out as well, but Joshua was a bit hesitant.

He did though, "Anything I should pass on to Kirux?"

Xion shook her head, "No. I'll see him soon."

All four of them smiled together.

...

Xion unlocked the Keyhole, and was blinded by the light that followed.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Calling - Kingdom Mix - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"But first, the thirteen darknesses shall be united."

Riku and Mickey were standing together on the center platform in the Round Room. All of the Organization members were sitting in their respective seats.

Among them were Xemnas, Ansem, Xigbar, Young Xehanort, and Sora (his seat still lowered). Master Xehanort was in the highest of them all.

...

"All of the seats have been filled," he said, "And now, the last vessel shall bear my heart like the rest!"

* * *

 ** _Play: Shaded Truths - KH Birth By Sleep_**

* * *

He waved his hand, and Sora's seat began to rise up.

Mickey and Riku both turned around, "No!" "Sora!"

Both of them ran to save him, but Xemnas and Ansem teleported out of their seats.

...

Mickey was jumping off of two others to get up, but Xemnas slammed him into the wall.

Riku was about to jump up, but Ansem held him down on the ground. Neither of them could escape.

...

...

...

Sora's seat reached peak height.

Xehanort waved his hand, then pointed his Keyblade towards Sora.

A heart flew towards him.

Riku and Mickey watched in horror.

...

...

...

The heart impacted Sora in a cloud of darkness. He began shaking violently, and sounded like he was choking.

"What happened?! I thought he would make it in time!"

"Trust me, little king," Xehanort said, "Your last ditch attempt was stopped long ago."

...

"NO!" Riku yelled, and managed to get Ansem off of him.

He jumped off the wall, and up to Sora.

He grabbed his shoulders, shaking him "Sora! Sora, come on! Don't let him win! SORA!"

...

Sora's eyes shut, and then opened back up a second later.

Riku saw his eyes weren't the same.

They were yellow now...

...

There was a burst of darkness, and Riku was sent flying away.

He landed on the center platform. Mickey was thrown down their with him.

...

"Now," Xehanort started, "Your job is done. Send them away!"

Riku and Mickey both sank into dark portals.

...

The new Sora looked ahead of him, expressionless.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Shaded Truths - KH Birth by Sleep**_

 _ **Play: Magical Mystery - KH2**_

* * *

Riku woke up back in Master Yen Sid's tower.

"Riku!"

...

Mickey was standing right next to him, Donald and Goofy right behind him.

Master Yen Sid walked over.

...

"Riku," he said, "I am glad you're finally awake."

"What...Where's Sora?"

...

...

...

The room was silent.

"I am sorry to say that Sora has been taken by Xehanort. Mickey gave me the full story."

"So," Riku said, standing up, "What do we do now?"

"Gosh Riku," Mickey said, "There's...really nothing we can do. I mean, Sora has been taken as one of Xehanort's vessels, and Lea was captured by the Organization."

"It looks as if...as if he's already won."

...

"No Mickey," Master Yen Sid said as he sat back down, "There is one other option."

Riku and Mickey both walked to the other side of the table.

"What's that, Master?"

...

...

...

"There are two young figures inside the Realm of Sleep right now. They came to me seeking aid for finding their lost friends."

"Who are they?"

"One of them is very familiar to you, Riku. I'm sure you can figure out the answer.

...

...

...

Riku gasped, "You mean...Kirux and Xion are in there?!"

Yen Sid nodded, "Yes. They are in the Sleeping Worlds as we speak."

"That's crazy!" Riku yelled, "We've got to go in and help them!"

"They are safe. I can assure you that."

"Master, with all do respect, they're walking right into a trap! If we don't help them, Xehanort will just take them like they did with Lea!"

...

"I know you are concerned about the two of them, but...any attempt at rescuing Kirux and Xion would only end in failure. I am sorry, but it is the truth."

...

"You're just gonna have to trust them, Riku." Mickey said, "They'll be fine. I know it."

Riku didn't look convinced.

He wanted more than anything to help save Sora. But...there wasn't anything they could do, at least not now.

...

He sighed, "Alright then."

* * *

 **Ta-daah! Dramatic Irony!**

 **Lol. Hope you all enjoyed. Be prepared for what's gonna happen next.**

 **See you all next time!**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	14. XIV - Castle of Dreams - Xion

**Hey. I'm back, finally.** **How long has it been? Three weeks?**

 **I'm sorry this took so long. I have plenty of excuses (the flu is one of them), but I'm not gonna waste your time any longer.**

 **Just go ahead and read. You've had to put up with me for too long.**

 **(But please do me one favor and head on over to Zeon Chaotic's page. I've been working with him/her on something that I hope you all will enjoy. Please do check it out.)**

* * *

Xion was walking in an open field. There was a large clearing, and forest surrounded this clearing.

There was a massive castle behind her, but she didn't know that just yet.

* * *

 _ **Play: Tears of the Light - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

She noticed the girl crying on the bench as she got closer. The girl was wearing what (or what seemed to be) a pink dressing, but it was torn and ripped in more places than one.

Xion crouched down next to her, "Is something wrong?"

...

Whoever the woman was spoke softly as she continued to cry, "It's just that my friends made me the beautiful dress - but my stepmother and stepsisters ruined it. And I was looking forward to the ball."

...

Xion responded, "Darkness will always find a way into a wounded heart. You have to be strong. The strength of your heart will carry you through the hardest of trials."

She smiled at her, but the smile didn't last long.

Monsters appeared behind her and the girl.

Xion turned around towards them, "Unversed!"

She stood up, summoned her Keyblade, and ran towards them.

...

...

...

...

...

Xion dealt with the Unversed (and some Nightmares that appeared after) in no time. However, the woman was still crying on the bench.

She frowned, not knowing what to do or say.

"How in the world do I fix this?" She said to herself.

"I can't just let whoever she is beat herself down like this."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Tears of the Light - KH Birth by Sleep**_

 _ **Play: Peaceful Hearts - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Suddenly, Xion heard a voice. A woman's voice.

"Strength of heart is important, but that's not all you need."

...

Xion looked around, but there was nobody else around.

Out of nowhere though, much like the voice, a strange glow of light started shining around the area.

The light shined particularly around the woman in front of her.

The voice reappeared, "Nothing, my dear? Oh, now, you don't really mean that."

Xion thought to herself, _'Who in the world is saying that?'_

...

Her answer came a few seconds later. A woman in a blue dress appeared out of literally nowhere. The first woman's head was resting in her lap.

"Oh...but I do. It's just no use."

"Nonsense! If you'd lost all your faith, I couldn't be here, and here I am."

...

The new woman helped the first stand up.

"Oh, come now, dry those tears. You can't go to the ball looking like that."

"The ball? Oh, but I'm not -"

Xion just watched everything without a single clue as to what was going on.

"Of course you are. But we'll have to hurry."

...

...

...

Xion was thinking to herself as she continued to watch the events transpire.

 _'These Sleeping Worlds just keep getting weirder.'_

 _'First, I got thrown into some random town, a city where they rode Dream Eaters and called people "fools," and some digital world created by some guy.'_

 _'I hope Kirux doesn't have to deal with all of this random stuff, because...this is getting too weird.'_

* * *

 **Entered New World: Castle of Dreams**

 **A/N: I hated this world, so...writing it was painful.**

* * *

The first woman she had encountered (odd how Xion still didn't know her name) had just rode off in a carriage, towards the large castle in the distance.

She finally said something out loud, "Her heart...it was full of light. How did I not see that?"

She looked over at the other woman, the one that had helped the first, "What did you do? I can hardly recognize she's the same person."

The woman spoke as if she had just noticed Xion, "Who are you?"

...

 _'Did she really not notice I've been the whole time?'_

...

She pushed that thought away, "I'm Xion."

"Well Xion, in your heart, do you believe that dreams can come true?"

"I do, but," she stuttered, "I also believe you have to make an effort to make them come true."

"Yes, of course. But sometimes, just believing in dreams is easier said than done."

"Tell me about it..." Xion said to herself.

...

The woman spoke again, "Cinderella believes her dreams can come true. I wanted her to see that she is right."

"So," Xion said, looking towards the castle, "That's what made her light shine - faith in her heart that anything is possible."

 _'Guess she should give Kirux a little talk.'_

...

Xion turned back to the woman, "Where did she go?"

"To the royal ball at the palace. Go there, and when you see her dancing...you'll know that she believes, and that will help you to believe, too."

Xion looked back towards the castle, "If you say so."

She ran off.

...

 _'I'll believe too, huh?'_

 _'Guess I'll find out what she means, whoever she is.'_

* * *

 _ **Stop: Peaceful Hearts - KH Birth by Sleep**_

 _ **Play: Castle Escapade - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

It took Xion a little while to reach the castle, but when she finally did, she wasn't greeted very kindly.

Unversed and Nightmares immediately appeared in front of her.

"Here too?!" She said, summoning her Keyblade.

...

She dealt with the ones in the courtyard quickly, but her work wasn't done.

When she ran up the stairs, Cinderella was surrounded by Unversed and Nightmares.

Xion yelled, "You leave her alone!"

She ran towards them.

...

In a split second, she was on the other side of the group. The enemies were all in the air.

They soon disappeared, and Xion stood up straight.

Cinderella spoke to her, "I've met you before..."

"You should wait here," Xion said, "Let me deal with the monsters."

Cinderella walked up to her, "Please, may I go with you? I so want to get to the ball."

...

Xion was gonna argue, but she just shook her head, "Alright, but stay behind me or you'll get hurt."

She noticed Cinderella smiling, "Aren't you worried?"

"Didn't you tell me it was important to stay strong?"

"Oh," Xion said, looking down, "I..guess I did say that."

She laughed lightly, "So...you ready?"

"Yes."

Xion opened the door.

...

...

...

Nightmares and Unversed appeared as soon as they both stepped foot inside.

Xion readied herself, "Remember, stay behind me!"

The enemies came to her, rather than her going towards them.

Whenever one got close, Xion would swat them away or hit them with magic. Cinderella stayed behind, like Xion said to.

The enemies that came while in the hallway were all small and weak, but once they entered the castle itself...

Things got more intense.

...

Xion had to actually go after these ones, but the ones she wasn't attacking just loved to attack Cinderella.

Thankfully, none of them layed a single scratch on her. Whenever one got close, Xion took it done just in time.

This continued all the way until they reached the ballroom.

* * *

 ** _Stop: Castle Escapade - KH Birth by Sleep_**

* * *

"Thank you...umm..."

"Xion."

"Thank you, Xion."

"My pleasure."

...

She let Cinderella walk past her with a smile.

...

She didn't get a lot of time to enjoy the moment.

She looked up to the right, and noticed something...moving in the upper observation.

Unversed.

Xion frowned, "Man, does this ever end?"

...

She ran over to some man who must have worked at the castle, "Hey you! How do I get up there?"

"Well, there is a passage beneath the foyer staircase."

"Thanks."

She ran off.

...

 _'I'm not gonna let the Unversed or Dream Eaters ruin this.'_

* * *

 _ **Play: The Tumbling - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Xion ran into the observation area, Keyblade in hand.

And just in time too.

A large Unversed in a conductor's costume showed up in the air before her.

It summoned three instruments around it (a drum, a violin, and a trumpet), and began waving it's baton rapidly.

Something began to hit Xion, and she struggled to hold it back.

...

Eventually, a large shockwave emitted where she was standing.

When it cleared, Xion was gone.

The Unversed looked around for her.

...

"Down here!"

...

The Unversed flew down right in front of her. Cinderella, the prince, and the man from before we standing behind her.

"Guards! Guards! Ooh, where could the possibly be?"

Xion shook her head, "Don't bother. I'll take care of this."

Nobody objected to that, and left the ballroom.

Xion readied herself to fight.

...

...

...

Xion's fight with this Unversed wasn't like the one she had fought in Traverse Town.

For one, she had a lot more space to maneuver. And this Unversed seemed like it cared only about following her than attacking. In fact, most of the time, it was the instruments, not the Unversed itself, doing all of the attacks.

Xion wasn't letting up though. She decided to go after the instruments first, as they were much easier targets and much weaker. Her combos and magic were plenty enough to take down the three.

She noticed, though, everytime she would destroy one, the Unversed would turn black and dark as if in anger. She couldn't figure out what it meant, but everytime it happened, the Unversed became more aggressive.

But it was still no match for Xion. She was too strong.

...

The Unversed threw it's baton at her, which she just swatted away.

She jumped up, twirled her Keyblade in her hand, and struck the Unversed nine times in quick succession, before striking it one more time harder.

She landed on her feet, and the Unversed disappeared.

Her Keyblade faded away.

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Tumbling - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

The man from before walked back up to her, "Thank you. You saved us all."

"It was nothing."

The man sighed, "And the guests were just starting to enjoy themselves..."

...

Xion looked over at Cinderella, who was still with the prince.

"Tell me something," she said to the man, "Have you always had a problem with those monsters around here?"

"No. I believe...they began to appear shortly after a boy in a black coat arrived in our kingdom. Those that saw him say that the monsters, of both kind, obeyed his every command."

"Vanitas was here..." she said to herself.

...

"Do you know where he is now?"

"Well...No, I don't believe anyone has seen him since then."

"I see..."

...

 _'Guess he ran off just before I showed up.'_

...

The clock struck midnight.

Xion watched Cinderella run out of the ballroom, the man Xion was speaking with running after her.

* * *

 _ **Play: Destiny's Union - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

She ran out after the two of them, and saw something she didn't expect.

Someone was walking into the castle. Only...they weren't actually in this world.

They were faded, just like Xion had seen them in Traverse Town.

"Kirux!" She said, and ran down.

...

He noticed her running up towards him.

"Kirux, listen. It's Vanitas. He's been here. The Unversed are everywhere!"

Kirux looked at her confused.

"Are you even listening to me?"

...

She noticed he was speaking, but...she heard nothing.

"Oh," she started, "I see...because you and I are in separate worlds, we can't...we can't talk to one another."

She looked down, "I got my hopes up for nothing..."

...

She could sense something on her shoulder.

When she looked back up, Kirux was smiling at her.

She couldn't hear anything, but she read his lips perfectly.

...

 _'Don't worry. I'll be okay. We'll find our way back to each other. I promise.'_

...

One of her hands reached up and traced his face, causing the image to go static a little.

"I miss you..." She said softly.

She read his lips again, _'I miss you too.'_

...

Kirux let his hand fall from her shoulder and walked past her.

Xion turned around, and he turned back.

"Please be careful."

He nodded at her, and smiled.

Kirux's image faded away.

...

There was a light shining down from behind her.

The Keyhole was in the air above her.

"I get it now," she said, "It's like what that lady told me. When I saw Cinderella, I would understand that my dreams can come true as well."

"Well...seeing Kirux here, in this world, I believe it now. If we all believe in our hearts that our dreams can come true, then...I guess they can."

...

Xion unlocked the Keyhole, and was blinded by the light that followed.

* * *

 **Finally...**

 **The next one will NOT take this long to come out. Mark my words.**

 **Anyways, there's something I want to tell you. I'll be updating my profile regularly now, with updates on story progression and some recommendations I feel you should all read. Check it out, because I'll update it regularly, as I mentioned earlier.**

 **So check that out, and PLEASE do check out Zeon Chaotic's page. It would mean a lot.**

 **See you all next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	15. XV - Castle of Dreams - Kirux

**Hey everyone. It's winter break, finally. Sorry to keep you all waiting.**

 **I got a little distracted exploring different soundtracks for different games (specifically "Mario and Luigi" and "Paper Mario"), which made me think of some potential crossovers. I've done a lot of thinking about it over these last few weeks.**

 **We're at Kirux's side of Castle of Dreams now. And not to spoil anything, but pay attention to Kirux in this chapter.**

 **Anyways, enough spoilers. Get on with it.**

* * *

Kirux had just appeared in the castle. The entrance hall was huge, and unlike other castles he'd been to, and was actually bright and lively.

It drew comparisons to the Organization's castle, only not dark and mysterious. This castle was the complete opposite.

The initial feeling he got wasn't actually negative, as if someone or something was watching him constantly. No. Here, his initial feeling was calming, and that there wasn't something terribly wrong or darkness spread around every corner.

It was nice and all, but Kirux knew that not everything was going to be hunky dory in this world.

Especially when he was seeing Xion run down the stairs towards him.

...

Kirux didn't say anything as she ran down towards him. She stopped a few inches away from him, and was trying to say something.

Key word: Trying. Although Kirux could see her lips moving, she was silent. Not a single word was coming out.

 _'What is she saying?'_ Kirux thought to himself, _'I can tell what she's trying to say is important, but...why can't I hear her?'_

...

Kirux was able to read her lips at one part.

 _"Are you even listening to me?"_

He couldn't respond, because...well...

If he couldn't hear her, what would make him think she could hear him?

It was pointless.

...

Xion looked down, clearly upset. She was talking to herself.

Kirux again couldn't make out what she was saying, but her body language showed him everything he needed to know.

 _'She's worried about me. That's too obvious.'_

He knew what he needed to say, what he _should_ say.

...

He went to place her hand on her shoulder, which surprisingly stayed, although the image did fade a little.

He smiled as he spoke, "Don't worry. I'll be okay. We'll find our way back to each other. I promise."

Xion didn't say anything.

...

Her hand went up and traced his face slowly. Surprisingly, Kirux could feel...tingling. He felt like he could feel her actual hand, and not just a projection.

Her lips were moving again, _"I miss you..."_

"I miss you too." He responded.

...

...

...

Eventually, Kirux let his hand fall from her shoulder.

He had to find the Keyhole, no matter what was going on with Xion.

He walked past her, and began to climb the stairs.

But he could sense her staring at him, so he turned back towards her.

She spoke, _"Please be careful."_

...

Kirux said nothing, just smiled at her. A smile that would reassure her.

He would be okay. There was no need to worry.

Xion's image faded away.

...

He sighed, "Alright. Time to see what this place is all about."

He walked up the stairs.

...

...

...

He entered what looked to be a ballroom. There were four people in the room, not including himself. Three of them, all women, were walking past and leaving.

As Kirux passed them, he got an uneasy feeling, one that was negative and dark.

He looked back at the three, just as a man ran into the room. He paid no attention to him, just the three ladies.

...

The man ran past Kirux, who turned around, "Excuse me. Who are those three ladies?"

The man spoke to him, "Oh, er, if I recall correctly, that is Lady Tremaine and those are her daughters."

Kirux looked back at them, _'There's something very wrong about them. It's darkness. It has to be.'_

...

...

...

Kirux was about to walk off, but another voice interrupted him.

"Excuse me."

He stopped, and turned around. A man, who must have been the prince of the castle, was standing there.

"Oh. My apologies. I must have mistaken you for someone else."

"Someone else?"

"Yes. The coat you're wearing looked oddly similar to his."

...

 _'A black coat...his...'_

 _'Could he be talking about Vanitas?'_

...

Kirux was gonna ask, but the first man started talking.

"Your Highness, I found this on the palace stairs." He said, inferring to the glass slipper in his hand.

"A glass slipper?"

"One dropped by a lovely young lady, and I'll search far and wide to find the maiden to whom this belongs."

"You will?"

"Of course, Your Highness. After all, you have finally found someone to whom you wish to marry. Upon hearing that happy news, your father, the king, has decreed that a quest shall begin immediately throughout the kingdom. And I will start with the closest residence - that of Lady Tremaine."

The man walked off, and the Prince did too.

...

"Lady Tremaine," Kirux said to himself, "I guess I'd better pay her a visit."

He walked off.

...

...

...

Kirux had just exited the castle when he showed up.

"So, you having fun adventuring the worlds alone?"

Vanitas appeared right at the edge of the fountain, in the castle courtyard. Kirux looked at him angrily.

"What's it to you?"

"Oh, it means nothing. I'm just here to deliver a message from the old man himself."

...

 _'Old man?'_

...

Vanitas smiled evilly, "Your efforts in these worlds will lead you to nothing. All the questions you have about your memories will forever remain unanswered. You and the girl you hold dear will be plunged into the darkness. Well, at least you will. We've got plenty of uses for Xion."

Kirux gasped, "What are you talking about?! What are you gonna do to Xion?!"

Vanitas laughed, "Man, you are _so_ overprotective. She, or should I say _it_ , was never even meant to exist. It's a puppet, but you are just obsessed with that little toy of yours."

Kirux clenched his fist, "You better watch what you say about her..."

" _It_. Remember, Ki. Not a person."

Kirux's rage just continued to grow. He hated when people called him "Ki," but that's not the only thing that was making him angry.

Anytime that anyone _ever_ threatened Xion really pissed him off.

...

"Well than," Vanitas started, "It looks like I've struck a chord, and that means my work here is done. Have fun with the Unversed, and good luck finding your puppet girlfriend."

"Wait!" Kirux said, and ran towards him, but it was too late. Vanitas vanished into a dark portal.

...

He looked down at the ground, still clenching his fists.

"Xion," he said quietly, "I swear...I'm not gonna let them hurt you. No matter what."

He looked back up, then ran away from the castle.

...

...

...

...

...

Kirux had finally reached what he thought was "Lady Tremaine's" residence. He walked up to the front door, put his ear close to the wood, and heard voices.

 _"You honor our humble home, m'lord."_

 _"Quite so."_

 _"May I present my daughters, Drizella and Anastasia."_

The presence from before came to him again. He took a step back.

...

"It's just what I thought. There's darkness here."

His Keyblade appeared in his hand, "I know what to do in this situation."

He went to enter the house, but a voice stopped him.

"Wait!"

...

He turned around, but found no one. Then, the area in the front area began to glow in light.

"It's dangerous to fight the darkness with your own darkness, my dear boy."

A woman in a blue cloak appeared.

"Who are you?"

"Cinderella's Fairy Godmother. I appear to those who believe dreams can come true."

...

"Well, I guess I'm honored. But I'm no stranger to fighting the dark with my own darkness."

"Oh, I am well aware. But, if you defeat shadows with shadows, will rays of light come out?"

"So," Kirux said, looking down at his Keyblade, "what do you want me to do? Use the light?"

Fairy Godmother shook her head, "No. Strong rays of sun create dark shadows. Sadly, Lady Tremaine and her both her daughters are jealous of Cinderella's charm and beauty, qualities that appear to you as "light." Jealousy is darkness. Light and dark go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other."

...

He looked down, _'It's like...me and Xion. Light and dark as one...'_

"What should I do then?"

"It's quite simple, my dear boy. One of Cinderella's friends is trying very hard to keep her light from fading. I want you to join little Jaq and help him."

"And who knows? Maybe all of this will make you see the light inside your own heart too."

...

Kirux sighed lightly.

 _'The light in my heart...but...'_

He smiled, _'No, there is light in there. Xion's the one that helped me see that. She's the one that lit up my dark heart.'_

...

"Okay," he started, "How do I get in there to help Jaq?"

"You'll need a bit of my magic to help that. Are you ready?"

He nodded.

"Alright then," she said, pulling a magic wand out.

...

She cast a spell on Kirux, and light circled around Kirux. In an instant, he was transported into a tiny ball of light and sent inside a window of the house.

When Kirux regained vision, he was inside the house. But...something didn't seem right.

Everything around him was huge.

"Wait a second," he said to himself, "did she...shrink me?"

...

Before he could say anything else, a mouse was walking by with a key over his shoulder.

 _'This place is so weird. I hope Xion isn't having to go through some of this stuff.'_

He walked up behind the mouse, "Are you okay?"

The mouse responded, surprisingly, "Cinderella's stepmother locked her in her room. I've gotta let her out! I've gotta save Cinderella!"

...

"Let me help you." He said, summoning his Keyblade again.

"Oh, thank you. I'm Jaq."

"Kirux."

...

There was yelling from the other room.

 _"I can't understand why...It always fit perfectly before."_

 _"Quite enough of this. The next young lady. Please..."_

...

"Oh no! Hear that? We've gotta hurry! Cinderella's gotta try that slipper."

Jaq began to run, "Come on! Hurry! Hurry!"

* * *

 _ **Play: Castle Escapade - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Out of nowhere, an Unversed appeared in his path, followed by several others.

Kirux ran up in front of Jaq, "Leave these guys to me! Just worry about getting that key where it belongs!"

Jaq nodded, as Kirux ran at the Unversed.

...

...

...

As he fought, Kirux felt...weird.

The way he fought the Unversed, guarding Jaq as he crossed the room didn't feel the same.

His magic wasn't nearly as good as it was before, except the dark fire. But normal fire, blizzard, thunder, magnet, anything else wasn't nearly as effective.

It was like his magic skill had been drained entirely.

...

Things only got more weird as larger Unversed and some Nightmares appeared. Kirux, before he could do anything, was cloaked in darkness, and rushed the enemies extremely fast. After that, he slammed the ground three times, the last time pillars of darkness appearing out of the ground.

When the attack ended, Kirux was in complete disbelief. He didn't hear Jaq call to him as he ran into the mouse hole.

...

"That power," he said, "That wasn't my own. I've...never been able to do that before."

His Keyblade faded away, "Man, what is going on with me?"

* * *

 _ **Stop: Castle Escapade - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Kirux was standing at the top of the staircase (still tiny). The two daughters had tried on the slipper, and it fit neither.

The castle steward (he had learned that's what he was) was preparing to leave.

"You're the only ladies here?"

"There's no one else, Your Grace."

...

Kirux looked over his shoulder, "Come Jaq, hurry up."

The castle steward turned towards the door.

 _'No, I can't let him leave.'_

...

He was about to jump down, but the Fairy Godmother's magic wore off. Kirux grew back to normal size, and fell on the ground below.

He sat up slowly, rubbing his forehead.

"Ow ow ow," he said to himself.

...

Everyone's eyes were on him now.

"Aw great," he said to himself again.

...

"Who are you? And what are you doing in my house?" Lady Tremaine (or he thought it was) said to him.

"He's probably here to rob us." "Mother, do something!"

Kirux stood up then, as the Lady spoke again, "This boy does not live here, Your Grace. Either way, I have only two daughters. I believe we're finished here, Your Grace."

"Oh, he means no harm. I remember meeting him at the palace." The steward said as he walked back over.

...

"Your Grace...please wait. May I try it on?"

Everyone looked up. A new girl was there.

Kirux smiled, "Thank goodness..."

...

"Pay no attention to her. She's just an imaginative child."

"Madam, my orders were every maiden."

Kirux walked past the two of them, "You should let her go first."

He motioned for Cinderella to walk past him, and she did. She sat in the chair, Kirux standing right behind it.

...

"You know," Kirux said, "I should thank you."

"What for?"

"I don't know. It's...just this feeling I've got, like you helped someone I really care about."

...

The steward was walking over, but Lady Tremaine tripped him. He dropped the slipper, and it (being made of glass), shattered on the floor.

Kirux gasped, as the steward was speaking in terror, "Oh, what will I do?"

...

Cinderella just smiled, "Oh please, don't worry. You see...I have the other slipper."

She pulled it out, and the steward beamed. Kirux even smiled too.

It was, of course, a perfect fit.

Kirux saw Jaq celebrating at the top of the stairs, and smiled even more.

...

"A perfect fit. I must inform the Prince immediately! You will come with me, of course."

"I'd be happy to."

...

"It's not fair! She's a scullery maid!" "Mother! Are you just going to let them leave?"

"No...Cinderella will be put in her place."

...

Kirux heard that, and looked back at them.

He spoke to himself, "They've already fallen into the dark, just like Frollo did. I'd better be prepared for anything."

He walked out of the house.

...

...

...

When he got outside, the steward and Cinderella had already left.

He heard a scream from the woods.

* * *

 _ **Play: Extreme Encounters - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

"What's going on?" He said, as the steward ran back to the house from the forest.

...

"What happened? Where is Cinderella?"

"Sh-she was attacked by a creature...a monster in the forest..."

"A monster?"

 _'I knew something would happen.'_

...

He ran to the forest, Keyblade in hand, "Leave it to me!"

...

...

...

When he reached the clearing, Cinderella was on the ground, a massive Unversed was dancing around, and Lady Tremaine and her daughters were laughing maniacally.

Flaming pumpkins were raining down from the sky, but Kirux was able to put up a barrier around him and Cinderella before they could land.

Cinderella sat up, Kirux nodding at her.

...

Lady Tremaine "This is what happens when you go against my wishes!"

Another flaming pumpkin landed right at their feet.

When the flames settled, the trio was gone.

"The darkness in their hearts overtook them." Kirux said softly.

He turned to Cinderella, "Get out of here, now!"

She didn't object, and ran off.

Kirux faced the Unversed, and readied himself to fight.

...

...

...

The same feeling he had from earlier came back in this fight. His magic was completely useless against the Unversed.

Kirux didn't know what was going on, but he felt different when he fought in this world compared to others. The way he fought in the other worlds was more balanced, like he always was. But here, he had to rely on physical attacks and his own strength just to get by.

It showed the most in this battle, because he could never really get that close to the Unversed without being swiped at or bitten.

At some points, the Unversed would try to devour him whole, but Kirux was luckily able to get away.

...

He caught his Keyblade out of the air, after having thrown it at the Unversed.

 _'Man, what's going on with me? I don't feel the same.'_

 _'I can't fight like I normally do, at least not here.'_

...

Kirux then unleashed an attack he had never seen before. He hit the Unversed over and over again with his Keyblade, before attacking three different times, each one doing more damage. The final attack, he slammed the ground, a shockwave being emitted.

This attack heavily weakened the Unversed, and with a few more combos, Kirux was able to defeat it.

It dispersed after a few seconds.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Extreme Encounters - KH Birth by Sleep**_

 _ **Play: Peaceful Hearts - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

He was watching the events unfold from afar.

Cinderella and the prince reuniting, on the castle stairs. He was leaning against the wall of the courtyard, a smile on his face.

...

Suddenly, the Fairy Godmother appeared to his right.

"A pure heart filled with light..."

"It's strange. I always thought that the darkness, whether inside myself or not, needed to be destroyed, or at least contained heavily."

"But...how do you destroy darkness if you don't use the light?"

...

"Oh, dear, you are too young to know. Experience more things, and you will find the answer."

"But...I've already experienced so much. What else is there to see?"

...

She smiled, "You will have to see the light inside your own heart. Only then will you truly understand. Just trust your heart."

Kirux put a hand up to his chest.

He clenched it tightly

...

...

...

He was alone in the courtyard when the Keyhole appeared.

"I learned a lot in this world," he started, "Too much for me to even summarize."

"I'll just have to keep fighting if I want to learn all the answers. To Vanitas, to Xion, to my heart, to everything. If I keep going on with this journey, I'm bound to find something."

...

Kirux unlocked the Keyhole, and was blinded by the light that followed.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Peaceful Hearts - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Vanitas walked up to Master Xehanort, who was at the Altar of Naught.

"Master," he started, "I did what you ordered."

Xehanort smiled, "So, you planted the seed?"

"Yes. All we have to do now is have Kirux let it grow."

...

"Everything is going according to plan. When the two of them have completed their journey, we will lead them straight into their desired roles."

"So," Vanitas said, "Xion is obviously the fallback plan, but...what of Kirux? What would you have me do with him?"

Xehanort smiled again, "I think you already know."

It was Vanitas' turn to smile, "Of course."

...

Meanwhile, Sora, now in the Organization coat, walked past Vanitas and up to Xehanort.

"Now, you and the youth have your orders. He will bring Xion in, while you dispose of Kirux. Make sure you wait until they both arrive to strike, got it?"

Vanitas nodded, "What about this one?" He said, motioning to Sora.

"You leave him to me."

"And the guy Saïx captured?"

"Leave him be for now. We will deal with him soon enough. Now, off you go. Complete your duties."

Vanitas nodded, "Yes, Master."

He left, as Xehanort led Sora through a dark portal.

* * *

 **There we go. Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **See you next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	16. XVI - Dwarf Woodlands - Kirux

**Hiya. I'm back.**

 **I thought I would give you guys one last chapter before Christmas (which is tomorrow). I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.**

 **Also, a message to the guest "Anon": You were right. It didn't make sense, and I have fixed it. Thanks for the notice.**

 **Okay, now we can move on. I won't waste your time. Keep reading.**

* * *

 _ **Play: Villains of a Sort - KH1**_

* * *

You'd think Kirux would have run into a friendly face in this new place, right?

Well, you thought wrong.

He appeared close to a small room in some unknown building. Initial looks made him think it was a castle again, but he didn't know for sure.

He could hear voices coming from that small room, so he obviously went to go investigate.

...

When he arrived, there was only one person in the room. A queen, from the looks of her outfit.

"Only one person..." he said quietly to himself, "That's odd. I could have sworn I heard two voices..."

Then he looked beyond the queen, and saw there was a mirror on the wall. A mask was inside the mirror.

"Ohhhhh," he said to himself, "A magic mirror. I guess that makes sense."

...

He heard the mirror speak, "The heart of Snow White doth shine bright. Beware, my Queen, a heart of light."

Kirux gasped, "A heart of light...another one? Could Vanitas be in this world too?"

...

...

...

"Who goes there?" He heard the Queen say to him.

"Aw great..."

He walked out before her, "My name is Kirux. I'm looking for someone, a boy named Vanitas. He wears a coat kind of like mine. I thought maybe you have seen him."

"That name is of no consequence to me."

Kirux looked down at the floor, "Guess I'll look around more. Thanks."

He turned to leave.

...

"Wait." The queen said to him.

 _'This...is not gonna end well. I can already tell.'_

"Ah yes...I have a task for you. If you succeed, I will ask the mirror where you might find this "Vanitas"."

Kirux turned around fully now, clearly skeptical, "Really? And the mirror will know?"

"Do you dare to question me?"

...

Kirux thought about it, "What is the task exactly?"

The queen chuckled lightly, "There is a young maid who resides in this castle. Her name is Snow White. Kill her."

Kirux immediately gasped in shock.

"And to make sure you do not fail," she continued, walking towards him, "Bring back her heart...in this."

She held a small box before him, which he did take.

"You...can't be serious about this. You want me to steal her heart?"

"What I demand is her life. I've had more than enough of her heart of light."

She walked back to the mirror.

...

Kirux could not believe what he was hearing.

"What did Snow White do to you?"

"That is no concern of yours. Now, heed my words. My radiance is all the light this kingdom needs."

Kirux scoffed, _'Sure. Whatever you say.'_

...

"Where can I find her?" He asked.

"Outside the castle," the queen started, "There is a glade of wildflowers. You are dismissed. Go now and seek her there."

Kirux left the room.

* * *

 **Entered New World: Dwarf Woodlands**

* * *

 _'She wants me to steal a heart of light,'_ he thought, _'All for what?'_

He pulled the box the queen had given him out.

He shook his head, _'Why am I even thinking about this?'_

...

As soon as he was far enough away from the room, he tossed the box away.

 _'There is no way I would ever go through with that.'_

 _'I'm not a killer. I don't do that.'_

* * *

 _ **Stop: Villains of a Sort - KH1**_

 _ **Play: The Secret Whispers - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Kirux entered a new area, a waterway, so it seemed.

No Unversed or Nightmares had appeared yet, which was good for him. Considering what was going on in the last world, he had plenty of concerns about having to fight.

Kirux still didn't understand what had happened to him in that last world, with how he had to fight.

Not only that, but...going through that world, seeing all of those places and people, it felt...familiar.

 _'It couldn't have felt familiar,'_ he thought to himself, _'I've never been to that world before. I've never been to any of these worlds I've seen so far.'_

 _'So...why did it feel like I've seen those people before? Does it have to do with Terra or Xehanort, like the memories?'_

...

Kirux shook those thoughts out of his head.

"Like I said before I unlocked the Keyhole. If I want to find the answers to everything, I've got to get through this journey."

...

Speaking of answers, what did Vanitas mean by they had plenty of uses for Xion? He had just told himself that he shouldn't think about it, but if it involved Xion in any way, it was hard for him not to think about it.

What was Vanitas and the Organization planning? And why had Vanitas been the only member Kirux has seen? Surely, they could have sent someone out to come and mess with him, right?

Also, what were there plans for him? Was Vanitas going to eventually try and kill him if he got far enough in his journey? Would they capture him and turn him onto their side? Would they just outright not do anything, and let Kirux do as he pleases in the Sleeping Worlds?

That last one was obviously the least likely, but hey, you gotta think positive sometimes.

Kirux smiled at himself, _'Now I'm starting to think like Sora.'_

...

Oh, and then there's Sora and Riku. Yen Sid had said that they were in the Sleeping Worlds taking some sort of exam.

He was wondering what they were up to, if they were okay, if the Organization was messing with them too.

There was just so much that Kirux didn't know, and probably wouldn't know for a while.

Like he kept saying. He just had to keep going forward and make it through this.

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Secret Whispers - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Kirux had wandered for so long without thinking he had found his way out of the castle and was in the central courtyard.

Out of nowhere, a man appeared in front of him. He was wearing the black coat of the Organization. He could tell by this person's frame that he was not Vanitas.

Kirux immediately stopped, "Who are you?"

The man didn't speak, he only removed his hood.

Only it wasn't a he.

It was a...girl?

...

Yes, you heard that right. A girl with long, dark red hair and yellow eyes (it seemed like all of the members had yellow eyes now). She had a scar above her right eye, and her skin was lightly-tanned.

She said nothing to him, just...stared.

Kirux stood down slightly, but did keep his guard up.

"Are...you okay?" He said, as he approached.

She still remained silent.

...

But then she spoke, "A-Are you Kirux?"

He stopped, "Yeah. That's me. And...you are?"

"My...my name is -," she stuttered.

...

Then out of nowhere, she changed.

Kirux could notice her whole demeanor change in an instant.

She looked back up, and her eyes were now...angry, "My name...is of no importance to know."

"Huh?" He said, completely surprised at her change.

"Who I am is not important. What matters," she says, putting her hand out before her.

...

A Keyblade appeared, one that looked kind of like Xion's, except it was purple and gold, with a star at the end. Kirux could not have been more surprised.

"What matters...is that I have to get rid of you."

"What?" He said, still trying to make sense of the situation.

But he didn't have a lot of time. She was running at him now.

...

Kirux was able to dodge her initial attacks, getting his Keyblade into his hand.

He got behind her, but she turned around almost immediately.

Their blades collided, Kirux extremely surprised on how strong she was. He could barely hold her back, and had to hold his blade with both hands.

...

"W-who are you?!" He yelled, still struggling to hold her back.

"It doesn't matter who I am!" She yelled, "What matters...is that you paid for what you've done!"

Kirux threw her back, but she recovered immediately.

He didn't want to hurt her, because...he didn't know who she was.

But he had the right to protect himself, so...he did.

...

She ran at him, Kirux blocked her attack, and struck the hand holding her blade.

The Keyblade flew into the air, and landed on the ground.

The girl collapsed to the ground, her hand clearly injured.

"Who are you, really?" He said, "I don't want to hurt you."

She stood up, "Sk-Sky..."

"What?"

"Sky. Skyler Kaze. You happy now?"

...

Kirux's Keyblade faded away, "What are you here for, Sky?"

Sky laughed slightly, "Wouldn't you like to know..."

A portal started to form around her.

"Wait!" He said, but she was gone.

...

 _'What in the world just happened?'_ He thought to himself.

That whole encounter confused him immensely.

 _'Skyler Kaze...never heard of her. What is she doing here? What does she have to do with this? What is Xehanort doing to her?'_

...

He got so lost in thought that he forgot what he was doing _before_ his encounter with Sky.

"Oh right..." he said, "I was looking for Snow White."

"I'd better go keep looking."

He walked off.

...

...

...

After leaving the courtyard and walking through a small bit of forest, he reached the flowery glade the queen had spoken of.

Sure enough, a girl was in this area, picking flowers from the ground. She had a blue and yellow dress on.

 _'I wonder if that's her.'_ He thought to himself, and walked over to her.

She turned towards him when he got close.

...

She spoke, "Oh, hello. Who are you?"

"Aren't you startled?"

The girl stood up, "Should I be?"

...

Kirux thought for a second, _'I guess it's true. Her heart is pure in light. She's got to be the one.'_

"Is something the matter?" Snow White asked, smiling.

"No. Actually...does the name Vanitas mean anything to you? I'm looking for him."

"Why...why no. I don't think I've ever heard that name. I'm dearly sorry."

Kirux sighed, "It's okay."

He looked away, crossing his arms, "Now what do I do?"

* * *

 _ **Play: Risky Romp - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Out of nowhere, Unversed and Nightmares appeared around them.

"Oh, now they show up..." he said, Keyblade appearing.

Snow White freaked out, and ran off into the woods.

"Hey! Wait! Don't go in there alone!"

But Unversed appeared in his way, and didn't allow him to run after her.

"Get out of my way!" He yelled at them angrily.

...

...

...

Kirux had that feeling again.

Fighting against the Unversed and Nightmares was not like he normally would. His magic was completely worthless, and he relied heavily on his strength and the Keyblade.

The enemies weren't still weren't any challenge, but it still felt odd. He didn't feel like himself.

And the feeling of familiarity had come back to him as well. It was like he had done all of this before.

It was weird, and he couldn't figure out what was going on.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Risky Romp - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Kirux got rid of the enemies very quickly. And ran over to where Snow White had ran into the forest.

There was no sign of her.

"Lost her..." he said to himself.

...

"She said she doesn't know anything about Vanitas. That...leaves me with only one other option. The mirror..."

He turned around, "...back at the castle."

He ran back towards the castle.

* * *

 _ **Play: Villains of a Sort - KH1**_

* * *

Kirux reentered the chamber, the queen standing by her mirror.

She spoke angrily to him, "How dare you return here, you blundering fool?"

"What are you talking about?"

...

She turned around, "I ordered you to bring me Snow White's heart!"

"A command I chose to ignore. You claim to be so radiant, but...all I see are shadows of jealousy hanging thick on your heart."

"You will pay for your insolence!"

...

"Magic mirror on the wall, consume this fool, once and for all!"

Kirux drew his Keyblade.

The mirror spoke, "Alas my liege, that I cannot do. I have no power save answers true."

"You...dare defy your Queen?!"

Kirux continued to stand ready.

...

He gasped when the Queen threw a potion onto the mirror.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Villains of a Sort - KH1**_

 _ **Play: Vim and Vigor - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Out of nowhere, the mirror flashed a very bright light. Kirux was blinded almost immediately.

When he reopened his eyes, he was stuck in an endless void, and the figure in the mirror was before him, and it had grown immensely.

Kirux was not fazed, and prepared himself.

...

The fight was very...odd.

Not only was that feeling he had before back again, the figure of the mirror almost always never gave him many attempts for him to attack.

Sometimes, it would form a circle around Kirux, and launch fireballs at him in the circle. He would always dodge the attack, but couldn't do much of anything else.

When Kirux was finally able to attack, his magic was, of course, still completely useless. He was completely reliant of the Keyblade and his strength.

It did work, to an extent, but Kirux was not getting far.

It dragged on, and on, and on, and on, and on.

...

...

...

Finally, after a long time. Kirux was finally able to get a lot of hits onto the figure and was able to finally defeat it.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Vim and Vigor - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Kirux was teleported back into the chamber, much to the dismay of the queen.

His Keyblade faded away, as the Queen spoke, "How did you escape?"

...

He took a few steps forward, "Now, you will ask the mirror. Where can I find Vanitas and Organization XIII?"

The Queen gave in to his demands, "Magic Mirror, instruct this knave! Give him the answers he doth crave!"

The mirror spoke, "Between both light and dark they dwell, where beings with no hearts once conspired."

...

"Is that all?"

The mirror didn't speak again.

...

Kirux sighed, "Alright. Thank you. You've been a big help."

Kirux turned and left the chamber.

...

...

...

When he got back outside of the castle, in the courtyard, the Keyhole appeared.

"Where beings with no hearts once conspired..."

"I guess...that must be the Organization's world. The castle, where we once lived."

"All right," he said, Keyblade appearing in hand, "All I have to do is find one last Keyhole, then...who knows?"

...

Kirux unlocked the Keyhole, and was blinded by the light that followed.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sky was walking through the castle, her hand still wounded from her little bout with Kirux.

"You okay?" She heard Vanitas say to her.

She looked away, "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"I said I'm fine."

...

Vanitas walked towards her, "You know, attacking him like that wasn't a good idea. Plus, it goes against what the old man wants..."

"I know..."

...

Vanitas brought her eyes up to his, and smiled deviously, "You know I won't tell anyone, if you...well, you already know."

She was disgusted, and pushed him away.

"Leave me alone, Vanitas." She said, walking away.

"Creep." She said under her breath.

* * *

 **There you go.**

 **Happy Holidays once again! And to all of you, have a good night.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	17. XVII - Dwarf Woodlands - Xion

**Hey! It's 2018! Yay!**

 **So much happening this year. Personally, I'm graduating high school in June, then I'll be off to college in August. Plus, KH3 is finally coming out this year. We all have so much to look forward too!**

 **Anyways, here's Xion's side of the Dwarf Woodlands. Please do enjoy, and let me know what you think about the story so far (because honestly, these chapters don't even come close to what I've got planned later on).**

 **Enough chit-chat now. Please, read on.**

* * *

 _ **Play: Tears of the Light - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Xion reached a clearing in the forest, where there was a small cottage by the river.

She saw some men standing around something, only...the men were very short, Dwarfs.

"I wonder what's happening here." She said, and walked towards them.

...

Now that she had a closer look, she noticed that...the dwarfs, they were all sad. She didn't know what was wrong initially, until she looked around a little more.

She saw a glass coffin standing there.

Xion spoke to them, "What happened here?"

One of the dwarfs turned towards her and spoke softly, "Poor Snow White..."

...

She went to go get a closer look at the casket, and gasped from what she saw.

There was a girl inside the coffin.

 _'What could have...no,_ who _could have done something like this?'_ She thought to herself.

...

She heard one of the dwarfs speak from behind her, "She was just as sweet as could be."

Then another one, "She sang us purty songs..."

And another one, "And made us smile."

And yet another one, "At bedtime, she told wonderful stories..."

Another one, "About falling in love, an' the Prince she'd met..."

Another one, "An' when we went off to work, she gave us all a kiss..."

And finally, the last one, "She was so full of kindness - why, she made better folk of all of us."

...

Xion felt...sad all of the sudden. Not the way she wanted to feel in this new world.

"From what you say, you all must have loved her very much."

...

She was thinking to herself, _'Is this what it's like...to look over someone you care about, and there's nothing you can do to wake them up?'_

Her mind flashed an image, of her in the same position as Snow White, and Kirux in the position of her right now.

 _'Man...I feel so bad for them.'_

...

"How did this happen?" She said, turning to the first dwarf she encountered.

He looked up and spoke to her, "The wicked Queen was horribly jealous of our dear Snow White's beauty. So she used her evil magic to change into an old hag, and then she gave Snow White a poisoned apple."

The dwarf standing next to the first spoke next, "An' by the time we got here...Well, it was just too late. We found the princess as still as can be...Nothing we could do would wake her."

...

"Well," Xion started, "There has to be something we can do. Is there anything we can do to help her?"

"Well, not unless someone craves the bastle - uh, braves the castle."

One of the other dwarfs stood up then, and snapped out of his sadness, "All you fools can stay here doin' nothin'. But I'm not afeard of goin', not even to that witch's lair!"

"You'll never make it. The castle is supposed to be guarded by magic, an' crawling with monsters."

...

...

...

Xion spoke up, "All right. Then I'll go there."

"You will?"

"Yes. Leave it to me."

"Well, all right, my dear. We'd be much obliged. The castle is that way, through the forest."

He pointed towards a path to his right.

"Okay. I'll return soon. Don't worry."

She ran off, into the forest.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Tears of the Light - KH Birth by Sleep**_

 _ **Play: The Secret Whispers - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Xion had entered the woods, her mind still racing on the current situation.

...

 _'Okay, so...some Queen gave Snow White a poisoned apple, and now she's...sleeping. I don't want to assume she's dead.'_

 _'The dwarfs didn't really give me much of anything else, apart from that.'_

 _'What would going to the castle even do? Do I confront the Queen? What would_ that _accomplish?'_

 _'I don't even know if she'll even be there. This whole thing just seems...pointless.'_

 _'But...I did say I would go there. I don't want them to get even more upset because I didn't go through with it.'_

...

...

...

She reached an opening, where there were a bunch of flowers in the bright field.

"Finally," she said, taking a few steps forward, "Some sunshine."

"There won't be any of this sunshine where you're going."

She turned around immediately, finding a man in a black coat behind her.

Only this one, she...didn't know. He had silver, spiky hair and yellow eyes. The eyes were...nearly identical to Vanitas'.

"Who are you?" She said as he walked closer to her.

She summoned her Keyblade.

...

The man simply turned away from her, "A beautiful little area, isn't it? Almost like it's a dream."

"Why are you all following me around? Just...what do you want from me?"

The man turned back to her, "You really haven't caught on yet? Do you really think that you and your "friend" are still off on some sort of...quest?"

She gasped, as he continued, "I'm not a part of this dream...and if you think I am...then your fake heart must be as weak as they say."

Xion got angry, "What are you talking about?!"

"However," the man said, as he turned around, "this will all be over, very soon."

The man began to walk off, "Hey! Where do you think you're going?!"

"Sleep on and we will meet again."

"Wait!"

He disappeared out of nowhere.

...

Xion's Keyblade faded out of her hand, and looked down at the ground.

"They keep talking about my heart, and how it's..."fake"."

She shook her head, "No. They're lying. They don't know anything about me..."

 _'But...what if they do?'_

 _'So what am I then? A person, or...still just a puppet? Does Kirux know about this, and has been keeping it from me this whole?'_

Out of nowhere, the white markings on her coat got...just a little darker. Xion didn't notice, and continued moving towards the castle.

...

...

...

She finally arrived at the castle, or at least the courtyard. It still felt good to not be in the forest anymore.

She found a man there. Finally, a person she could talk to that wasn't a part of Organization XIII.

The man, from what she saw as she walked towards him, seemed a little...confused.

"Is something wrong?" She said as she got closer.

The man turned towards her, "This castle - it seems different somehow. And I can't find the princess or hear her beautiful voice."

 _'Princess? Could he mean Snow White?'_

"Was it all a dream?" he continued.

"So...you know Snow White?"

"Oh yes. We met once. It was a song that drew us together...Has something happened to the princess?"

...

 _'Man, he's not going to like this...'_

Xion frowned, "I'm afraid so...The wicked Queen tricked her into eating a poisoned apple."

The man was stunned, "I must go to her! Where is she?"

"In the woods, guarded by seven kind dwarfs."

"I will find her. Perhaps there is a way I can help."

He ran past Xion, towards the forest.

 _'So quick to help someone he cares about...'_

She smiled, thinking of Kirux.

 _'Well, I'd better keep going.'_

She turned and walked into the castle.

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Secret Whispers - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

She finally reached what she thought was the Queen's chamber, after going through two large areas filled to the brim with Unversed and Nightmares.

She was expecting to see someone there, but...the room was empty. There was only a mirror on one of the walls.

But...when she looked into the mirror...she saw something she never thought she'd see.

...

The Nightmare from Traverse Town, the one that escaped through the Keyhole, was floating around in there.

Xion was stunned, but her surprise instantly went to anger.

"Hey! You!" She yelled into the mirror, although she highly doubted that the thing could hear her.

Surprisingly, it did, and it seemed stunned at the fact that Xion could see it in the mirror.

"I'm coming for you..." She said quietly.

She remembered her promise to Neku, Shiki, and the others back in Traverse Town.

She was going to take out this Nightmare, by all means necessary.

"Okay," she started, "How do I get in there?"

"Think, Xion. Think."

...

...

...

She got an idea, and summoned her Keyblade.

She jumped back, twirled the blade in her hand (for effect), and pointed it towards the mirror.

A beam of light shot into the glass, and a very bright light blinded her.

* * *

 _ **Play: L'Apprenti Sorcier - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

When Xion was able to see again, she was standing on a high cliff surrounded by an endless ocean. The sky was filled with stars.

The Nightmare flew down close to her, seemed to wave her along, laughed, and flew away.

Xion watched angrily as it flew off into the stars and clouds.

"How am I supposed to follow it?"

...

Out of nowhere, a path of light appeared in front of her. The path led straight towards where the Nightmare flew off to.

Xion didn't say anything, and just hopped on and chased after the Nightmare.

...

...

...

After a long chase (and Xion having to dodge however many too many projectiles), she caught up with the Nightmare. She was able to jump up into the air and strike it once, before the Nightmare finally teleported the two of them into a new area.

They seemed to be in some sort of weird...you know, she really couldn't describe it. The only thing that was describable was the random rocks around the area.

Xion paid no mind to the area, though. She landed on her feet, the Nightmare staring her down.

"You're not running away anymore!" She yelled, and ran towards it. She jumped into the air, and brought her Keyblade down to strike it...

...

...

...

Her battle with the Nightmare was probably the most unique of all the encounters she's had on this journey.

The thing was extremely weak whenever she would attack, no matter what the attack even was.

The only problem was...that the thing would constantly teleport away whenever she would get close or go in for an attack. It did that when she first tried to strike the thing.

As the battle progressed and it happened more and more often, Xion got even more angry.

So angry, she...began to use the darkness.

...

She went to shoot fire at the Nightmare, and...a blast of dark fire came out instead. It was as if...she was fighting like Kirux now.

Unfortunately, she had to save her shock for later, because while the fire did a lot of damage to the Nightmare, it still was up and willing to fight.

It actually got on its broom, and flew up to a small rock very high in the air.

It began summoning meteors that rained down around Xion, who was desperately trying to avoid them, but not having much success.

She got hit multiple times, and took so much damage she was nearly defeated.

...

The Nightmare floated down right in front of her. She was hunched over, incredibly weak and hurt pretty badly.

It laughed at her, as she stared angrily at it.

The Nightmare summoned a massive blade of light, and swung downward at Xion.

The blade never met its target.

...

Xion then reappeared behind it, and jumped at the Nightmare.

She sliced through it five times before landing on the ground in front of it.

The Nightmare disappeared in a burst of darkness.

There was a flash of light.

* * *

 _ **Stop:**_ ** _L'Apprenti Sorcier - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance_**

* * *

She reappeared back in the chamber with the mirror.

When she looked back into the mirror, she saw nothing.

The Nightmare was gone. She had done it.

...

Her mind switched gears almost immediately.

"That dark power," she said lightly, gripping her Keyblade harder, "Where...did it come from?"

"I've only seen Kirux and Riku use those types of attacks before, so...why can I all of the sudden?"

She shook her head, and let her Keyblade fade away.

"I'd better get back, see if that did anything for Snow White."

She left the castle.

...

...

...

...

...

When she got back to the cottage, it seemed like nothing had changed at all. The dwarfs, now joined by the man she found at the castle, were standing around Snow White.

Xion frowned almost immediately, "Really?"

She walked up to the man, "Is there anything you can do?"

...

He said nothing, and just walked up to the casket.

Xion didn't expect him to kiss her, but...he did. Then his head went back down in sadness.

This feeling of dread and sadness got to her, and...even she was feeling down and sad.

...

Until, she gasped in shock.

Snow White's eyes fluttered open, and she sat up very slowly.

Everyone, including Xion, was in complete shock.

And then the dwarfs started celebrating.

Xion couldn't help but smile.

 _'That's so sweet...'_ She thought to herself.

...

...

...

She couldn't really remember what happened after that.

After everyone left, she was left alone in front of the cottage.

"Every waking is a new journey." She said to herself.

"Maybe Kirux wanted to leave home so badly because...it was our time."

"This whole journey...is just the first step of what's to come after, which is...getting our friends back."

...

The Keyhole appeared above Snow White's casket.

"Okay," she said, summoning her Keyblade, "Just one world left..."

...

Xion unlocked the Keyhole, and was blinded by the light that followed.

* * *

"So, you meet Xion yet?"

"Yes."

...

Vanitas smiled, "So, what do you think of her?"

"She's nothing. A weak being with a false heart."

"Yep. She _really_ thinks that she's her own person. How crazy is that?"

...

"Don't act so rash," Young Xehanort said, "If her and Kirux are able to come into contact, there would be no stopping them."

"Oh, relax. You and me against those two would be a walk in the park."

"Do you not remember your last encounter with him?"

Vanitas turned back, "So what?"

"You've seen first hand what he's capable of. Do not let your guard down."

...

Vanitas, "Ugh, fine. Whatever. Just let me worry about getting rid of Kirux, and you worry about taking Xion away, alright?"

"Of course."

* * *

 **There we go. We're so close to the end of this journey. Only one Sleeping World left...**

 **I'll see you all next time!**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	18. XVIII - Enchanted Dominion - Xion

**Hello. I missed my quota with this one, which I'm really upset about. Hopefully it doesn't happen again.**

 **Let's not waste any time, and just keep going. Quite frankly, I'm sick of these Sleeping Worlds. So, let's just get them out of the way.**

 **Continue on.**

* * *

 _ **Play: The Silent Forest - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Xion entered the chamber slowly, looking around and making sure nobody was there.

Upon first examination, she could tell that it was a bedroom. A table with various objects on the right wall, a chair in the corner, and a balcony to the left. There was a vanity on the back wall, and paintings and banners lined the walls. The room seemed like it belonged to someone special.

Xion took a few steps forward, until something caught her attention.

In the corner to her left, there was a bed. In that bed, a girl in a blue dress slept in peace. She had blonde hair, and a tiara on her head. She was either the queen of this castle, or the princess. One or the other.

 _'Wow,' she thought to herself, 'She's...just like Snow White was. Who could have done something like this?'_

...

Suddenly, a voice called out to her from behind, "Stop, you get away from her!"

Xion immediately turned around, finding three women standing there. They all wore similar gowns and hats, but different colors, and had...wings(?) on their backs. Every one of them was carrying a wand in their hand.

 _'Must be fairies or something.'_

"Oh - I'm sorry. It's just...I was worried about what happened to this girl."

...

The fairy (she assumed that's what they were) in red flew towards her, and around to examine Xion. "Who are you?" She said.

"I'm Xion. It's...nice to meet you all."

The fairy in green spoke next, as the one in red continued to examine her, "Oh...You don't seem bad, dear. It seems that you have a pure heart, just like our precious Aurora."

"A...pure heart?"

 _'What does that mean?'_ She thought to herself.

...

She pushed the thought aside for now, "Anyways, can you tell me why she's sleeping?"

The fairy in the red answered, "Long ago, Maleficent put a curse on her. And now...she's stolen her heart."

"She stole her heart?"

The fairies all nodded.

"Well then," Xion said, "Why don't we go get it back for her?"

The green fairy spoke this time, "That's impossible, dear. Maleficent's home is at the Forbidden Mountain. It's not safe."

"I'm not afraid of going there. Besides, we can't just leave Aurora like this. I can help her, trust me."

She smiled at them, but...that didn't seem to give them much confidence.

"Come on, let's go get her heart back."

...

...

...

None of them responded after a while, and her smile faded.

 _'Really? That didn't work?'_

 _'Oh well. Guess I'll just -,'_

Her thoughts were cut off, as the red fairy smiled finally. She spoke, "You know, you're absolutely right. The Forbidden Mountain is through the forest. Now come along, and follow us. After all, we wouldn't want you to get lost."

Xion smiled, "Alright. Let's go."

Her and the three fairies left Aurora's chamber.

* * *

 **Entered New World: Enchanted Dominion**

* * *

They were in the main entrance area of the castle, just walking out the front doors when Xion spoke up.

"So Maleficent stole Aurora's heart...I'm guessing not too long ago, right?"

"No, not long at all. Actually, it has only been few days since it happened."

...

They continued to talk, as they walked down the bridge towards the forest.

"How did she steal it? A heart seems like you'd need something...I don't know, special to do something like that."

Xion looked up at one of them, the one in red, "Is she just that powerful?"

The fairies didn't respond initially.

...

...

...

Xion was concerned, "You guys don't know, do you?"

The fairy in red finally spoke up, "Unfortunately, no. All we do know...is that it was done by a boy in a black coat."

She stopped.

...

"A...black coat?"

She needed answers, "Tell me more. This boy, what did he look like?"

The fairies all turned back towards her, the green one speaking, "Well, we didn't get much of a good look at him. But...he did have brown, spiky hair...and was holding a sword shaped like a key."

Xion gasped again, "A...key? Brown, spiky hair?"

...

 _'It...It couldn't have been.'_

 _'Was it...Kirux? No. No, he would never do that.'_

 _'But...who else do I know that has brown hair AND can wield the Keyblade.'_

 _'Could it have been...Sora?'_

...

"Did...the weapon look like this?"

She put her hand out, and summoned her Keyblade.

The red fairy nodded without much examination, "Yes. Exactly like it."

...

She knew then who it was.

 _'Why would Sora...steal someone's heart?'_

She shook her head, _'No. I don't believe it. It couldn't have been Sora, not the Sora I know.'_

...

Her Keyblade faded away, "I see..."

"What's the matter?"

"It's just...that guy...he's..."

She shook her head and sighed, "Never mind. It's...not important. Let's just keep going."

She continued walking, but the fairies didn't follow her.

They remained on the bridge, looking at Xion in concern.

They conversed amongst themselves, as Xion entered the forest.

...

...

...

"I...just can't accept what they said." She said to herself.

She had finally reached the forest. There was a river right before her that went deeper into the woods, and rocks that surrounded the area she was standing in.

"Why...why would Sora steal Aurora's heart? That doesn't sound like something he would do. _Ever_."

She stopped, and crossed her arms over her chest.

She was trying to make some sort of sense over the whole thing.

...

 _'Okay, start over for a second. So the fairies say that guy with spiky, brown hair, in a black coat, wielding a Keyblade.'_

 _'Who all do I know that has all three of those features?'_

 _'Kirux and Sora are all I can come up with.'_

 _'I know for a fact it wasn't Kirux. It just...it couldn't have been.'_

 _'But...it couldn't have been Sora either. It doesn't make any sense...'_

 _'Maybe the fairies got their hair color mixed up? I don't know. It just-'_

...

Her thoughts were interrupted by voices.

They were coming from around the corner.

She snuck over, making sure that whoever it was could not hear her approaching.

...

She peaked around the corner, and saw two figures standing there. One of them was a man she recognized, Xemnas.

The other, well...was the one described by the fairies. Black coat and brown, spiky hair. She recognized the way it was styled though.

Sora.

...

She pulled back, "What in the world is Sora doing here?" She whispered, "And why is he in the Organization's coat?"

"Is he..? No..."

She peaked back around, as Xemnas began speaking.

...

"Did you steal the girl's heart for Maleficent?"

Sora responded with a monotone voice, "Yes."

"And it's sealed deep within the castle, correct?"

"Yes."

...

The old man smiled, "Good. You're off to a fine start."

"What do you want me to do next?"

Xemnas turned around, "Nothing for now. There's nothing more for us here, in this world. After all, it's not even real. It's just a product of dreams, a false illusion that tricks us into thinking it's real."

"Much like that poor girl's heart."

...

Xion gasped, _'Is he...talking about me?'_

"Which girl? Sky?"

"No, not Kaze. She's a different story. I'm talking about Xion, the fallback plan.

 _'I'm...the fallback plan? Gah, what does any of that mean?!'_

...

She got...angry.

Xemnas smiled even more, "Ah yes. Her and that foolish boy Kirux have no idea what they've gotten themselves into."

The mention of Kirux got her even more angry.

The markings on her coat got even darker. So much that they were now light gray.

...

She made the decision then.

"Hey!" She yelled, and turned the corner. Sora turned around, and looked at her in a mixture of shock and fright. Xemnas wore the same grin he had before.

"It's-,"

"Yes. Xion. No. XIV."

"Wha-what do I do?"

A dark portal opened, as Xemnas responded, "Go. Let me speak with her alone."

...

Xion watched as Sora ran away, somewhat in fear.

 _'Is he scared of me? What's going on with him?'_

...

She turned her attention to Xemnas, and yelled angrily, "Tell me now! What have you done to Sora? What are you going to do with me and Kirux?!"

He looked towards where Sora had exited, "Oh, don't you worry about Sora. We're taking very good care of him."

Xemnas continued, "He will make fine member of the Organization, with time."

"Why would you want Sora?"

"Why, he's the Keyblade master, of course. Who wouldn't?"

He laughed lightly, as Xion continued to glare at him.

...

Xemnas started again, "So, tell me Xion. How does it feel to walk around in these worlds, knowing that the emotions in your heart are just...figments?"

She shook her head, _'There they go again, with my heart being fake.'_

"What do you know?!" She yelled, "You don't even have a heart! You never did! You were an empty shell, just like the rest of us!"

"Now that is where you're mistaken."

"Huh?"

...

Xemnas shook his head slowly, "No matter. You will learn everything soon enough."

A portal appeared behind him.

He was going to turn around when she yelled at him, "Hey! I'm not done with you!"

Her Keyblade appeared, "You're not running from me!"

...

She ran at Xemnas, jumped up, and tried to strike him. However, Xemnas put his hand up, and a pulse sent her flying backwards.

She landed hard on her back, her Keyblade clattering at her side.

Xemnas was frowning at her, "You are just as weak as before."

He departed before she could respond.

...

...

...

Her head fell back into the grass, closing her eyes.

 _'Nothing makes sense anymore._ '

 _'Sora in the Organization? Me...a fallback?'_

 _'I don't understand any of it anymore.'_

 _'I just want this stupid journey to be over with already. I want to get Roxas and Axel back, so...Kirux and I can finally live in peace.'_

 _'Yeah...that would be nice...'_

 _'Just me and him...'_

She found herself smiling at that thought.

...

...

...

...

...

She heard voices from above her.

When her eyes opened, the fairies were all standing at her sides.

"Oh my goodness, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Xion said, "I'm fine."

She stood up, "I guess...I must have dosed off. Sorry."

"No matter, dear. We were just worried Maleficent had done something to you."

Xion nodded, "So...shall we keep moving?"

"Of course. The path ahead is cleared, so we can now head for the Forbidden Mountain."

"Okay."

The fairies flew off, Xion following close behind.

...

...

...

Finally, after so long, they reached what the fairies had called the "Forbidden Mountain."

And Xion understood immediately why it was called that.

The castle was at the end of a long, winding path. The castle it self actually looked as if it took up all the land that it sat on. If you fell through the castle walls, you would fall into a...well, it wouldn't be great.

And the castle itself looked...pretty unsettling. She felt chills go down her spine slightly.

"I can see why you all didn't want to come here originally." She laughed lightly.

"Are you afraid?"

Xion shook her head, "No. It'll be okay. Let's get going."

She ran up the path, the fairies following behind her.

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Silent Forest - KH Birth by Sleep**_

 _ **Play: The Rustling Forest - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

When Xion entered the castle, she was met by...something.

Not Nightmares or Unversed (which she had yet to see any here, surprisingly). No, these things looked more like...animals mixed with people? She didn't really know. They were weird.

There were some that looked like they were pigs, those ones carrying spears and maces. The rest looked like they were birds, and carried bows.

Thankfully, they didn't attack her immediately when her and the fairies entered.

"Watch out," one of them said (she couldn't tell because they were behind her), "Those are Maleficent's."

...

Xion just summoned her Keyblade, "Well, they don't look like anything serious."

She ran towards them, catching the "goons" (she decided to call them that) completely off guard.

One massive slam of the ground was able to take down that one group, about four or five of them.

She turned back towards the fairies, smiling, "See? Nothing I can't handle."

...

"Let me clear out these guys."

She ran deeper into the castle, towards another group of the goons.

This time, they actually saw her. Some of the bird goons fired arrows at her, but they all missed. The pig goons all ran towards her.

She stopped.

As soon as the goons got close, they tried to swing at her or stab her.

Unfortunately for them, she teleported away from them.

The goons all looked around in complete confusion.

...

Xion then reappeared behind the group that rushed her, and struck one of them down on the head. He disappeared into green fire.

The rest of them were all surprised, but it didn't last long. Xion struck them all down, one-by-one.

Just as the last pig goon dispersed into flames, one of the bird goons fired an arrow at Xion, and it looked as if it was gonna hit its target.

But, instead of it hitting Xion, it slammed into an invisible barrier, shattering almost instantly.

She turned towards those ones. They all looked at her in terror, cowering in fear when she ran towards them.

...

...

...

The room was finally clear, but Xion didn't let her Keyblade fade.

Instead, she looked at her hand, the one gripping the blade.

"Something's wrong with me," she said quietly to herself, "I...don't feel like myself when I'm fighting. I haven't since I fought that Nightmare in the last world."

"Is it...because I used the darkness there? Is that why those goons looked at me in fear?"

"Is that why...Sora seemed to run away from me? Why he was so afraid when he saw me?"

She shook her head, and kept going.

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Rustling Forest - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Xion found herself in...some kind of throne room. It had to be, considering there was a throne at the other end of the hall. Throughout the room, there were these different colored portals(?), scattered in random spots.

The throne wasn't the only thing at the end of the hall though. Something...shiny was floating in the air, just above the throne. The object was surrounded by green fire.

"Could that be Aurora's heart? That was...pretty easy."

...

Of course, nothing was ever that easy.

As she ran towards the throne, a wall popped up out of nowhere, blocking the path.

She frowned, "Seriously?"

She tapped her hand against the wall a few times. Rock solid. It wasn't coming down, no matter what.

"How in the world am I going to get to Aurora's heart now?"

...

Then she remembered. The portals she had seen.

She walked over to one, more walls appearing around her and the portal. It was circular, and the whole thing was made out of blue fire.

"Maybe this will do something." She said, and jumped into the center of the portal.

...

Sure enough, she reappeared in another part of the throne room. She was closer to the throne now, but closer to the left wall of the room.

"Okay," she started, "If I go through enough of these portals, I'll eventually end up at the throne and Aurora's heart."

"Well, let's go."

She ran towards another one of those portals, a green one, and jumped in.

...

...

...

After jumping into at least four or five different portals (and having to clear out a room filled with Maleficent's goons), Xion finally found her way to the throne.

Before her, Aurora's heart floated in the air, surrounded by green and black fire.

Her Keyblade appeared in her hand.

She pointed it at the heart, a beam of light shooting towards it.

The beam caused the fire surrounding the heart to disperse, and the heart was able to move freely.

It flew over her head, and out of the throne room.

"That should have done it."

...

She went to walk out, but stopped.

A bright light caused her to lose her sight.

...

...

...

She had a vision. One of...Aurora, and some man she had met. Most of what happened between them and what they said she couldn't remember, but she noticed one thing. Those two seemed...happy. Like, _really_ happy, just to be together.

Just like her and Kirux had been, in a time that felt like ages ago.

When Xion opened her eyes, she looked around, "What was that all about?"

"Aurora's memory." The red fairy said, as they all walked closer to her, "She must have gotten her heart back."

"So...her wish came true?"

"Yes, not long ago."

...

Xion found herself smiling.

The red fairy continued, "You see dear, dreams are very strong beliefs that we all hold in our hearts. Aurora's led her to her true love."

The green fairy spoke this time, "I can see you hold strong beliefs, too. Don't you, dear?"

Xion nodded, "Yeah. I...I do, similar to Aurora's."

"I can see. I can see you also have a very strong light, also like our Aurora."

...

Xion looked down, _'It doesn't seem like it. Not after what's happened in these last two worlds...'_

...

The blue fairy spoke for what felt like the first time, "All right. Hurry, we can't stay here!"

The fairies turned to leave, Xion behind them.

...

...

...

She was running back through the castle, towards the exit. The three fairies were following behind.

There was someone standing in the center of the room, wearing a black cloak and holding a long, brown staff.

"Someone has released Aurora's heart." They said, turning towards Xion and that fairies, "Tell me, child. Was it you?"

"Maleficent!"

Xion yelled back, "Only because you stole it in the first place!"

Her Keyblade appeared. She ran towards Maleficent, and jumped into the air, prepared to strike.

Maleficent vanished before her attack could connect.

...

He heard Maleficent's voice, "A Keyblade. So you must be Xion."

She reappeared above Xion, who yelled, "What? How do you know about me, and the Keyblade?"

"My powers ensure that I'd know of the key to bringing me hearts. Your friend Sora gave me a demonstration."

...

She gasped, "Sora? It was him?"

"Why yes. He was the one who stole Princess Aurora's heart."

Xion looked down at her blade.

...

 _'It...it couldn't have been...'_

 _'No. I won't believe it!'_

...

"No. You won't lie to me!" She yelled back, readying herself.

"I was asked to leave you unharmed, but it seems that I have no choice!"

* * *

 _ **Play: The Encounter - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Three different orbs flew around Xion. One red, one green, one blue.

"Don't worry. We'll help you."

"I got it. Thanks."

Maleficent appeared before her.

"Here goes..." She whispered, and ran towards Maleficent.

...

She merely dispersed into flames when Xion got close, and reappeared behind her.

"Insolent fools!" She yelled, and summoned four of her goons around Xion. They all converged, and tried to attack her, but Xion just jumped out of the way.

They all ran into one another, and Xion disposed of them using a Thunder spell.

Maleficent glared at her, shooting a blast of fire at Xion. She knocked it down, and jumped at Maleficent.

...

She swiped upwards while in the air, which surprisingly knocked Maleficent up as well. When they were at the same height, Xion slammed her down into the ground hard.

The attack stunned Maleficent, who held her head. Xion took that time to attack her with continous combos, hitting her up to five times with each one.

She managed to get three complete combos on Maleficent when she recovered, and smacked Xion away with her staff.

She then teleported back up to her high position.

...

Maleficent began to conjure up more magic.

"Thunder, light and lightning strike!" She yelled, as lightning began to strike the ground around Xion. She dodged most of the bolts easily, but some of them did hit her.

Whenever they did though, it didn't do much damage to Xion. She got up to where Maleficent was standing, and unleashed a new attack she had learned earlier.

She attacked Maleficent with two different spinning attacks. During the first one, her Keyblade was cloaked in darkness. During the second one, it was coated in light. Both attacks seemed to do a lot to Maleficent.

Xion landed below her, towards the stairs that led to the exit. Maleficent teleported towards the center of the room, where she had been when Xion and the fairies had first arrived.

...

Maleficent used this time to use one final attack. She raised her staff, and Xion's vision became clouded in green.

Fortunately for her, she still had the fairies at her side.

They formed a circle of light around Xion, protecting her from whatever Maleficent was doing.

Xion put her Keyblade into the air, and light began to charge up at the end of her blade. Within a few seconds, it had reached it's peak power.

Xion then launched a light projectile at Maleficent, which hit her in the back.

With that, Maleficent could no longer fight.

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Encounter - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

She walked up the stairs, holding her side.

Xion yelled up to her, "There's no way Sora would EVER hurt someone like that!"

"You don't believe me? That's unfortunate, for he agreed so easily."

"He...did?"

...

She looked down at the ground.

"No..."

She shook her head.

"No no no no no."

She got angry again, "No! Enough lying! Sora would NEVER help you! He would NEVER steal a person's heart!"

...

Maleficent laughed, "Ahh...the truth can be most cruel, even amongst the closest of friends. After all, one never knows the secrets of another's heart. I'm sure you would agree...Xion..."

Xion glared at her.

"FINE THEN! I'll show you! I'll find Sora, and figure out what's going on! Then you'll see the kind of person he really is!"

She ran out of the room, away from the fairies and Maleficent alike.

...

...

...

She reached the front area of the castle when the Keyhole appeared, just above her.

She stopped dead in her tracks, and stared at it.

Just...stared at it...

...

She knew she should unlock it. This was the last one.

The last Keyhole she had to find, and this journey would be over.

She sighed, "Sora. I know...you probably can't hear me. But...I wish you could tell me what's going on, what's happening to you."

Her Keyblade appeared, as she continued.

"And," she gripped the blade harder, "What's gonna happen to me, and Kirux? Where will this journey take me...if it doesn't end here?"

She looked up at the Keyhole, "Guess I'll find out."

...

Xion unlocked the Keyhole, and was blinded by the light that followed.

* * *

 **There we go. No scene with Organization XIII this time. Don't worry. We'll see them again soon enough.**

 **Let me just take a moment to say...thank you. Thanks to all of you, "The Soldier of Darkness" has now become my highest viewed story in just under a year. Thank you all (I'm assuming you all read it) for reading and supporting it in the nine months it's been since released. I really appreciate it.**

 **Now, only one chapter left until the Sleeping Worlds are done. Get ready...**

 **Until then.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	19. XIX - Enchanted Dominion - Kirux

**Hey everybody. I missed my quota again (pretty badly, I might add). Sorry, I got busy. All that matters is that I have returned.**

 **But can you believe that this is (technically) the last Sleeping World? I can't, and let me tell you, it feels good to know that these are finally done and over with. Now, all of the good stuff that I've been planning on writing for months is finally coming.**

 **So, like I said with the last one, let's not waste any more time. Continue on.**

* * *

 _ **Play: The Silent Forest - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Back to back worlds where Kirux had an uneasy feeling when he first laid eyes on the place.

It was yet another castle, much like the last two worlds, only this one was...dark and sinister. It looked as if it could belong to someone like Ansem or Xehanort.

Kirux couldn't ignore the site of it all, and it gave him an uneasy feeling.

...

 _'Any smart person would turn back and leave.'_ He thought to himself.

 _'I can sense darkness. It's...very strong. I don't really want to end up running into whoever or whatever is causing it.'_

 _'Again, the smart decision would be to walk away and not go anywhere near that dark power.'_

He smiled to himself, _'Thankfully, I'm not one of those smart people. And besides, where's the fun in just walking away?'_

...

He began walking towards the castle, when there was a burst of light that came from the castle. You could clearly see it against the darkness of the castle and surrounding area.

"What's that?" He said as it flew towards him. He didn't get to see exactly what it was, but in the short time he did, he could see that it was...some orb of light.

It flew off into the area beyond the rock walls behind him.

 _'Was that...a person's heart? That's strange. I wonder what's going on.'_

"Good thing I'm going to that castle anyways." He said, and continued walking up the winding path.

...

...

...

...

...

When he entered the main entryway, he could tell that the castle itself was in really bad shape. Many of the walls and towers were destroyed, and rubble lined the ground throughout.

Surprisingly, not a single enemy showed up in the first area, throughout both of the rooms. No Nightmares or Unversed were anywhere in sight.

It was...unnerving, to say the least for Kirux. He could sense darkness coming from around every corner, but...nothing ever came.

"This isn't right," he started, "I probably should have been attacked at least twice now. Where are all of the enemies? And better yet, where are all the people who inhabit this place?"

"I wonder..." he stopped, just before he was going to climb a staircase into a new area, "If Vanitas or someone could be involved with this."

...

He crossed his arms over his chest, "Just...what are they trying to do in these worlds? What are they planning for me? And not just me, but for Xion too."

"And...who was that girl I ran into in the last world? What was her name? Sky? Where did she come from? What's her role in all of this? And...why did she attack me?"

He sighed, "There's just so much that I don't know, and...it's kind of scary not knowing what's to come next for me, and for Xion."

He looked up at the dark sky, "I wonder how she's doing. It feels like it's been forever since I saw her reflection, two worlds ago. Maybe she's already found the Seven Keyholes already, and is waiting for me back at Yen Sid's tower, or...wherever she ended up."

He smiled, "Wherever she is, I'd better not keep her waiting. I've only got one more Keyhole to find."

He walked forward, up the staircase.

...

...

...

...

...

Kirux entered another new area, this one not being in as bad of condition, as the columns and walls were mostly in tact. Only one of them had fallen in the entire circle.

However, this room actually had people in it. Two of them, and unfortunately, he recognized them both.

One of them was a tall man in a black coat. The other, a women in a dark cloak with spikes at the top of their head, holding a wood staff.

Maleficent, and the man he didn't know (his hood was down.)

...

He hid behind a pole, and listened to the two of them converse from behind a column.

"Why are you so afraid of some boy?" Maleficent said, "He's only a child. What harm could he do?"

"More than you think. That boy, and the darkness he holds inside, you do not want to end up facing alone. For if you do, well...there may not be a you anymore."

...

Kirux recognized the voice after that. He didn't need to see the face.

 _'Isn't that...Ansem? But...how?'_

...

Maleficent chuckled, "Please. No darkness could ever outmatch my own, especially not this child you speak of."

"Do not be so arrogant."

"You will not order me around. I will deal with this boy on my own. I do not need you."

The man, "Ansem," shrugged, "Suit yourself. Don't say I didn't warn you."

...

...

...

Kirux peaked around, "I can't let him leave, at least not now."

His Keyblade appeared, and ran out.

"Ansem!"

...

Both "Ansem" and Maleficent were surprised at his sudden appearance.

"You wanna explain to me how it is your here?!"

"I could ask you the same thing." He responded.

"Well, you didn't. So start talking!"

...

"Do you really think you could challenge me?"

Kirux shrugged, "Why not? I've done it three times before, and I'll do it three more if that's what it takes to get rid of you!"

He ran towards them, jumping high into the air, and swinging downward towards Ansem.

Unfortunately, Kirux forgot Maleficent was still standing right next to him.

A burst of dark energy came from her, and the shockwave sent Kirux flying backwards.

...

He landed on his feet, back in the same spot from which he had jumped.

He heard Maleficent laughing, "You really are as weak as I thought."

Kirux yelled back, "Shut up! You don't know anything about me, Maleficent!"

"Oh, so you have heard of me?"

"Don't play dumb! You know what you did to me, in the past!"

...

Ansem shook his head, "You don't understand it."

"Understand what?"

"Forget it. There's no point in learning, when you only have so long."

"What?"

Ansem disappeared, before Kirux could ask anything else.

...

...

...

He was confused, but pushed the thoughts to the side and moved his focus to Maleficent, "What are you doing working with Organization XIII?"

"So that's they are called. That man never did say who or what he was."

"Don't ignore the question!"

"Oh, you don't need to worry about us, child. Like the one you called "Ansem" said, you only have so much time left before the darkness swallows you."

...

Kirux scoffed, "This again? You guys already tried that, and you know how it went! You know I'm not gonna fall to the darkness, not now or ever!"

He was smiling as he went through that sentence, but it faded when Maleficent laughed.

 _'This conversation is going nowhere.'_

...

"Listen, boy," Maleficent started, "Ansem warned me about the darkness inside of you. Well...I just so happen to be able to control the darkness. Now, I have an offer. Help me, and I'll help you to control the darkness inside of you."

She smiled down at him, "Now, do we have a deal?"

Kirux looked down at the ground.

 _'Seriously? This stuff again?'_

 _'These guys just don't give up with me, don't they?'_

...

It was...funny. So funny...that he started laughing out loud.

"Why are you so amused?" Maleficent said.

Kirux composed himself, and spoke, "Ansem must have left out some details. I've already got the darkness in control."

He pointed his Keyblade towards Maleficent, "I don't need you, and I don't need Ansem. So...take that as a no."

...

Maleficent seemingly appeared to completely ignore everything he had just said, "It seems you need more time to consider my offer. Fortunately, I have the perfect place for you to think."

"Did you just listen to anything I just said?" He yelled up to her.

And based on her lack of reaction, she ignored that statement too.

There was a burst from the ground below, and then...the ground was gone.

Kirux fell down, into the depths of the castle.

...

...

...

...

...

Kirux finally landed after falling for what felt like hours. He surprisingly landed on his feet, in...some sort of jail cell.

 _'Great. A cell. If Xion was here, she'd probably kill me for getting locked away like this.'_

It wasn't all bad though. At least Kirux wasn't alone in the cell.

A few feet away from him, a man was sitting on a stone bench, chained to the ground by his feet and to the wall by his wrists. Kirux took a few steps towards him.

"Who are you?" The man said to Kirux.

"My name is Kirux," Kirux responded, "And...it looks like I got caught in a trap. Why are you in here?"

"To prevent me from breaking her evil curse."

"By "her," you mean Maleficent, right?"

"Yes. You see, I was to meet the beautiful girl at a cottage in the glen, but now my true love lies in an eternal slumber...and only I can break the spell."

"You must...really love her."

...

 _'If Xion was in that position, would I do the same thing?'_

 _'What am I saying? Of course I would. She's...the only thing I have in this world.'_

 _'And...haven't I already done that? When she was captured by Vanitas inside of Sora's heart?'_

 _'Yeah, I hope something like that doesn't end up happening again. Besides, she's got her own heart now. If she was to disappear, she wouldn't go back to Sora, I think...'_

...

Kirux got lost in his thoughts for a few seconds, before someone spoke from behind him, "Is what you said true?"

Instinctively, he drew his Keyblade and turned around, only to find there wasn't any real threat. Unless the three different colored fairies worked for Maleficent.

"Whoa! Put the blade down! We're not here to hurt anybody!" The blue one yelled at him.

Kirux was...slightly embarrassed, and put his Keyblade away, "Sorry. That's...just an instinct."

He stepped to the side, as the man behind him spoke again, "Yes. It's true. Maleficent told me."

The red fairy was stunned, "Oh, Prince Phillip! It's you!"

...

The three fairies freed the man from his chains, and he finally stood up. He was actually much taller than Kirux, now that he realized.

"Now, Phillip," the red fairy said, "The road to true love may be barred by many more dangers, which you alone will have to face."

The man, now known as Phillip, nodded, "I'm ready."

He then turned to Kirux, "I think you should come with me."

Kirux frowned, and looked at the ground, "I'm sorry, but...I can't. I'm...looking for something, and...someone. They have the answers to what I need to know, and if I don't find them before it's too late, well...who knows."

"I understand."

"Now Phillip," the red fairy said, "You must hurry to Aurora."

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Silent Forest - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Phillip ran out of the room, with a sword and shield that seemed to come out of nowhere. The green and blue fairy followed him, but the red one stayed behind.

She turned towards Kirux, who was confused, to put it lightly, "Aren't you going with him? He's gonna need you."

"I will follow him, but...I do have something I need to say to you."

"Okay...and what's that?"

...

"Inside of your heart, I can sense something, something that I see within Prince Phillip there. You, like him, have a deep love for someone inside of your heart."

Kirux gasped, "You...know that?"

"Yes, I do. And from what I can tell, you've already found your true love, haven't you?"

Kirux looked down, highly embarrassed, "I...I guess."

"Don't be that way. Love is nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact, you should be happy."

Kirux looked back up, as she continued, "Like I told Phillip, the path to true love is barred by many dangers, ones that you may have to face alone. But, I can sense that the if you keep the light in your heart burning strong, you'll find true love in the end."

...

Kirux smiled, "I...guess you're right. Thank you, umm...I never got your name."

"Flora, dear. Just remember everything I said, and you're heart will guide you through the greatest of trials."

"Right."

Flora then left the dungeon.

...

Kirux thought about what she said.

 _'Keep the light in your heart burning strong...'_

Suddenly, his Keyblade appeared in his hand.

When he looked at it, a memory flashed. Back when he first got this Keyblade.

He remembered, Xion had given it to him, before he went to go fight Ansem for what was supposed to be the last time.

 _'That Keyblade holds the power of light and darkness.'_

"Light...and darkness..." He said to himself.

"When they come together, they create...balance..."

 _'She's what keeps me balanced. She...made me...who I am right now...'_

...

He smiled, thinking about him and Xion, and all the good memories they had together.

There were so many, he couldn't even count.

Maybe Flora was right. Maybe Xion was his true love.

Kirux really didn't know. He still didn't understand it that much.

To be honest, it...didn't really matter.

...

Just then, he remembered.

Ansem. He may still be in the world.

Kirux didn't know why he thought that. It was...just a feeling he had.

 _'He's got to be here. He just...has to be. If he is, then I have to find him.'_

Kirux ran out of the dungeon.

* * *

 _ **Play: The Rustled Forest - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Kirux entered a massive throne room, actually finding Phillip there.

 _'I guess he must have run into some big company.'_ He thought to himself.

...

And sure enough, he had. Around Phillip were these...things. They looked like people had been fused with animals, like birds and pigs. They carried staves, maces, and bows, and had Phillip surrounded.

"He needs help." Kirux said to himself.

His Keyblade appeared, and he ran towards Phillip and the things.

About halfway to them, he jumped into the air. By this point, the things had Phillip surrounded, and he was back against the wall.

Suddenly, Kirux appeared out of nowhere, and conjured up a massive fireball.

"Back off!" He yelled, as the fireball launched out of his Keyblade. It exploded over the things, and blinded Phillip and Kirux alike for a short time.

...

When their vision returned, all of the things were gone. Kirux put his Keyblade on his shoulder, and smiled.

 _'Guess my magic must be back to normal, thankfully.'_ He thought to himself.

"You...you came!" Phillip said to him, as he turned around.

"Yeah," Kirux said, "I think that the person I'm looking for might be wherever, I think her name was Aurora, is. So...yeah."

Phillip smiled, "Well then, what are we waiting for? We need to keep going."

"Of course."

The two of them ran out of the throne room.

...

...

...

The next room was filled with those things, both at their level and above them. And to make things even better, the way out of the room was blocked off.

Luckily, Kirux found what they needed to open the gate. There was a crank on the level above them, being guarded by those things.

He turned towards Phillip, "Distract the guys down here! I'll get the gate open!"

He ran forward without him, and jumped up to the second level. Immediately, most of the things came and ran towards him.

Kirux just smiled, "Do they really think they can take me down?"

He just summoned a swarm of eight mines around him, all of them seeking out the things and exploding as they stepped on them.

Unfortunately, the mines didn't get rid of the things. They only stunned them.

Kirux just frowned, "Seriously? What's going on? That spell worked earlier, why didn't this one work now?"

He just shook his head, and struck down all of those things. Each one of them dispersed into green fire whenever he'd defeat one.

He didn't really pay attention though, and went straight for the crank that should open the gate.

Once he turned it, the way opened up. Phillip ran through, and Kirux followed right after him.

The next room was exactly the same, and after about the same amount of time, Kirux and Phillip were both running out of the castle and down the path.

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Rustling Forest - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Kirux and Phillip both stopped in a clearing in the forest, a place where there was actually light.

Kirux was relieved to finally be away from that castle, and all of the darkness that it held. It felt nice to actually be close to light.

"Well then," Kirux said, "That was...eventful."

"Yes," Phillip responded, "You're a very skilled fighter. Where did you learn to do all of that?"

Kirux smiled, "Well, I've learned a thing or two on the adventures I've been on. I've sort of just picked up some new things as I went along."

...

Kirux looked out into the forest, "So...this Aurora girl is the one you're after?"

"Yes. I already told you everything about her, back in the dungeon."

"Yeah. You did."

...

Phillip walked a little bit closer to him, "But what about you? Do you have someone like Aurora? Someone you care about and love?"

Kirux crossed arms over his chest, and looked down, "Yeah, I do. Her name is Xion, and..."

He hesitated. Kirux didn't normally open up about him and Xion, at least not to people he barely knew.

But this time, he made an exception, "Xion is...well, everything to me. If I didn't have her, then...I wouldn't be the same person I am today. I'd probably never have come to this place, or any other places, to be honest."

"You must love her dearly."

"I do. I love her...with all of my heart."

"Well...I hope that you find her, and that you two truly are happy together."

Kirux smiled, "Thanks. You too."

...

Eventually, Phillip went on ahead, Kirux standing in the clearing alone.

He was thinking about Xion, and...well, nothing else really.

Just Xion...

"I hope she's okay without me..." He said to himself.

Then he shook his head, "I need to stop worrying. Xion is fine. She can handle whatever comes at her.

He then walked into the forest, after Phillip.

...

...

...

Kirux caught up to him, on a long bridge towards another castle, this one not nearly as menacing as the other one.

He was about to run to him, but...something happened.

A whole bunch of massive, pointy thorns appeared out of nowhere between him and Phillip. The branches were so thick, he could barely even see Phillip on the other side of them.

"How am I supposed to get over there?" Kirux said to himself.

"You don't."

...

He turned around, and you can guess who was standing a few feet away from him.

Ansem himself, this time without the hood down. Now, Kirux could see his face.

A face that he had despised since his creation.

"What are you doing in this world?!" Kirux yelled at him.

"Just checking in you, my old friend."

"I don't think "friend" is the right word you want to use."

"Oh, but I think it is. Besides, you and I both follow where the darkness leads."

Kirux scoffed, "I'm not like how I was in the past, Ansem. I'm a whole different person."

"But are you really?"

...

Kirux heard a really loud sound come from behind him, a roar, to be exact.

Maleficent must have turned to her dragon form. Phillip was gonna have a hard time.

"Anyways," Ansem said, "Now I know it's not according to the plan, but while you're here..."

* * *

 _ **Play: Forze Del Male - KH1**_

* * *

The same Shadow that had appeared every time Kirux and Ansem had fought in the past appeared behind him.

Kirux knew what that meant, and where this was going.

"Might as well get rid of you here, now that I have you pinned down."

"You can try!" Kirux yelled, summoning his Keyblade.

Ansem laughed, "I'm sure this will be enjoyable."

Kirux just prepared himself.

...

...

...

Kirux was the first one to try and attack, as he ran at Ansem, swinging his Keyblade over and over at Ansem.

Ansem just dodged everything he did, no matter what he tried. At one point, he even teleported behind Kirux, and used one of his Shadow's arms to swat him away.

Kirux just cartwheeled backwards, and landed on his feet.

"Even after so long, the way you fight never changed."

Kirux just glared at him, and went to attack again. Finally, he managed to lay a few hits on Ansem, but...they didn't do much of anything. To be honest, Kirux would have been better off not doing anything.

Ansem retaliated from that attack, and his Shadow dove into the ground beneath them. It suddenly reappeared behind Kirux, grabbing both of his arms and holding him place. Then, a cage of purple and yellow lightning surrounded Ansem, as he moved closer to Kirux.

The bolts of electricity stung his skin as Ansem reached him. The current went through his body like the blood in his veins. It hurt really badly and nearly defeated him.

Finally, the electricity went away, and the Shadow returned to Ansem. Kirux collapsed to the ground, extremely weak and nearly defeated.

...

He heard Ansem laughing, "This is the end, Kirux. The darkness I control is too strong for you."

An aura of darkness began to surround Ansem, as Kirux struggled just to even stand up, using his Keyblade to support him.

"Now, it is time for you to perish, just as you should have long ago."

The aura formed itself into a ball, and Ansem's Shadow held it in it's right hand.

"Say goodbye." Ansem said, as the Shadow swung it's hand down towards Kirux.

Kirux shut his eyes, and waited for the attack to come.

...

...

...

 _'Don't give up, Kirux!'_

...

...

...

Out of nowhere, a burst came from Kirux. The burst knocked Ansem and the Shadow back, and the dark ball dispersed.

"What?" Ansem said, as an aura of darkness began to flow around Kirux now. A

He smiled, and ran at Ansem.

He attacked Ansem with as many combos as he could lay on him. Each attack seemed to do serious amounts of damage to him, and knocked him back many times. The finishing attack of the combo was...unique, as Kirux would put his hand out, and a dark one would come out of nowhere and punch Ansem.

After laying out three full, complete combos on Ansem, Kirux then dove into the ground, moved underneath Ansem, and the same dark hand knocked Ansem into the sky.

The dark aura then went away, and Kirux was back to normal. Now, it was Ansem that was close to defeat.

Kirux didn't boast or say anything to him. All he did was smile.

 _'Time to finish the job...again.'_

...

Kirux brought his Keyblade over to his left side, and held it in both hands. He then swung hard, and actually disappeared for a quick second before reappearing behind Ansem.

The Shadow dispersed, and Ansem fell to the ground in defeat.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Forze Del Male - KH1**_

* * *

Ansem spoke lightly, "That power...I...haven't seen that power since..."

He stood up, turned around, and looked at Kirux.

Only, he didn't see Kirux. He saw...someone else. A man...one that he knew all too well.

"I see," he said, "So that's where he ran off too..."

"What?" Kirux said, "Who are you talking about?"

"Never mind. I...was a fool for picking a fight with you two. Hopefully...that boy Vanitas can finish the job..."

"Wait!' Kirux said, running towards Ansem.

But it was too late. He had disappeared.

...

...

...

Kirux had gotten so caught up in his battle with Ansem, that he forgot about Phillip and Maleficent.

When he turned around, he gasped.

The thorns were all gone. Maleficent was hunched over, trying to walk away.

He knew then that Phillip had won the fight.

...

Kirux walked towards Maleficent, "It was the power of true love that defeated you."

Maleficent responded to him weakly, "I will not be defeated by something as insignificant as love."

"A dark person like you wouldn't know the first thing about it. Your vision is too clouded to see that there's something greater."

He smiled, "You can try all you want, gather as large an army as you can, but you'll still never defeat a heart of light."

"Perhaps..." she responded, and turned back to Kirux, "But remember one thing - as long as there is light, there will be darkness. And in time, many more will be drawn to it. Then they will all belong to me!"

"That's never gonna happen!"

Maleficent didn't listen. She just disappeared into a cloud of green fire.

...

...

...

Suddenly, a bright light began to shine down on Kirux. When he looked up, the Keyhole sat there.

Kirux looked down at his Keyblade, "This is the last one..."

"The last one, then...I'll get to see her again."

He smiled, "Finally, I can be with...my one true love again."

He laughed at himself, "I need to remember never to say that again."

...

Kirux unlocked the Keyhole, and was blinded by the light that followed.

* * *

 **There we go...**

 **Hope you enjoyed the last chapter of the Sleeping Worlds. Finally, it's over. Nobody is more relieved about it than I am. Trust me.**

 **Leave a review, and I'll see you next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	20. XX - Descending Into Darkness

**Hello everyone.**

 **We're out of the Sleeping Worlds now. What's gonna happen now? I can't tell you here, but I can say that you're not gonna be disappointed, with this and everything that comes after.**

 **So, let's continue on.**

* * *

Xion floated downward, landing lightly on the dark pavement below.

She looked up at the area she was in, and gasped lightly.

"Wait a minute. Isn't this..."

* * *

 **Entered New World: The World That Never Was**

* * *

 _ **Play: Sacred Moon - KH2**_

* * *

Before her was one of the few places she actually dreaded: Memory's Skyscraper.

She was in The World That Never Was. The Organization's world.

Why was she here? She had no idea.

...

"Is the Organization's world sleeping too? No...it can't be."

"I know...I definitely found the seven Keyholes already," she said, counting with her fingers, "So...I've got to be back in the real world, right?"

"But...of all the places for me to end up, why here?"

...

None of it made any sense.

She had unlocked the seven Keyholes already: Traverse Town twice, La Cité des Cloches, The Grid, the Castle of Dreams, the Dwarf Woodlands, and Enchanted Dominion. That was seven in total.

So...why did she not show up back at Master Yen Sid's tower? Did she mess something up? Was there actually one more Keyhole she needed to find, to get back?

And what about Kirux? Did the same thing happen to him? Was he in this world too? And if he is, are they still separated like before, or are they in the same world now?

Her mind then went to who would have been responsible for this. It was the Organization, of course. But who specifically? Was it Xemnas? Or Vanitas? Maybe that guy she saw in the Dwarf Woodlands?

She just had so many questions, none of which could be answered.

Well, or so she thought.

"Aw, what's the matter, sleepyhead?"

* * *

 _ **Stop: Sacred Moon - KH2**_

* * *

She looked around for the source of the voice, but found nobody.

She yelled out, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

...

The voice came back, "We jumped through a lot of hoops to get you here. But it looks like as if it's gonna pay off."

She heard a shot go off from behind her, and jumped away. A pink bullet protruded from the ground, right where she was once standing.

When she looked up, she found the source of the shot. A man in a black coat was standing on top of the buildings, gun in hand.

She only knew one person who used such weapons.

The man jumped off of the buildings, and fell down towards her.

* * *

 _ **Play: Xigbar - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

The person stopped just before the ground, before their feet finally touched down onto the pavement. He pulled the guns apart, and they both faded away.

Xion recognized the face immediately. He was a member of Organization XIII, back when she was still with them. He still had the same eye patch over his right eye, and the scar just under his left one.

Of course, you know his name.

Xigbar.

...

"X-Xigbar? You're a part of this too?"

He smiled, "Don't bother with the questions. Let's just hit these plot points in order, Xion...Poppet."

He continued, "First, you must be wondering about your revised itinerary. "Why am I here, not back home?" The answer is simple. We brought you to this place. Hijacked your little search party before it started. And ever since, we've been both your companions and your constant guides."

"Before it started?" She said.

...

Then she understood.

She gasped, "Kirux's dreams! And so Vanitas and the Unversed, and Xemnas were..."

She couldn't believe it, "It was a trick all along..."

...

Xigbar pointed to her, "Bingo!"

He began to walk towards her, "You see, that guy you had under a tight leash, well...let's just say he's carrying something very special in his heart. Or rather...someone. We know that there was no way he would leave that little town willingly, so...we had to pull some strings on the package he was carrying."

Xigbar walked past her, continuing to speak, "And from what I can tell, it seems that some of the contents of that package are stilling to spill out."

"That's ridiculous!" She yelled.

"It really is. It's too perfect. Who would ever believe it? Which is why you two didn't see it coming."

Xigbar stopped, "You two think you're here to obtain some sort of new power, right? But tell me this. How could Kirux obtain a new power if he isn't himself anymore?"

"Don't be stupid!" She yelled again, "Kirux is Kirux. Nobody else!"

"And that's...where you're wrong, kiddo. You just don't see it yet."

...

"Anyways, here's another question. If you're back in the real world, how come you're still in the same coat as before?"

She looked down at her hand, and...he was right. The markings were still there, although...they seemed different.

She didn't get enough time to think before Xigbar was talking again, "You're not gonna wake up from this, okay? It's not reality versus dreams anymore. It's just you, us, and this."

...

Xion closed her eyes, "I see..."

Her Keyblade appeared in her hand, "Fair enough."

"Who cares? At least I know who to blame for it all now."

She readied herself, glaring at Xigbar.

...

He looked back at her, "Ooh, I see you've got Sora's angry look down."

"But here's where I tag out. You still have a few more hoops you've got to jump through."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Xigbar - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

With that, Xigbar vanished from in front of her.

She looked around her, but he was nowhere to be found.

Little did she know, he was right above her head, guns loaded and pointed directly at her.

He laughed as he fired, but...none of the shots hit Xion.

Instead, they formed a circle around Xion, and from the bullets in the ground, men in black coats appeared around her.

All of them had their hoods on, except for one. The same one she had encountered in the Dwarf Woodlands.

...

"Come with me." He said, and put his hand out towards Xion.

For a split second, her vision flashed. And instead of the man standing in front of her, it was...Kirux, in the same position. His hand was stretched out towards her.

Then, he disappeared, and the man and others surrounding her came back.

But this time, her vision began to blur, and she felt herself getting tired.

* * *

 _ **Play: The Nightmare - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

She grabbed her head, as she struggled to stay awake, "What?"

She looked to her right, and saw Xigbar standing outside the circle of men in black coats.

He smiled to her, and spoke, "Pleasant dreams, Poppet."

Then her eyes closed, very slowly.

...

...

...

Her eyes finally opened, she was blinded by something shining directly into her eyes.

She sat up, finding herself in...Destiny Islands?

Yes, she was sitting on the beach on Destiny Islands. There was somebody standing at the edge of the water.

It was him. That guy in the black coat, only...he wasn't in the black coat in this image. He was in some sort of dark outfit.

Out of nowhere, a person in a brown robe showed up, and walked up to the guy. The first guy looked at him in...astonishment? She couldn't tell.

"Yes," she heard someone say, and found the first guy (in his black coat) sitting on the beach next to her, "This was where it started. At this point, I still had no idea that I was talking to myself. He cast away his bodily form just to set me on my appointed path."

"What do you mean?"

"That is Xehanort, reduced to just a heart - the being you and your friends called, "Ansem.""

...

She looked back over, and "Ansem" was standing right in front of her.

She cried out once in surprise, before losing her vision again.

...

...

...

Her eyes opened back up, and she was in a new area.

Twilight Town. Just outside of the clock tower.

"What..?" She started to say, but she was interrupted.

Kirux appeared from the clock tower, walking down the stairs.

"Kirux." She said, and went towards him.

Only thing was...he went right through her.

"This isn't real. You won't be able to reach him." She heard that guy say, noticing him to her left.

"If this isn't real, then...what really is it?"

...

"Remember what Xigbar said. Kirux is carrying something very important within his heart. And this, well..."

Her attention went back to Kirux, who was just standing at the bottom of the stairs.

Then, some orb of light came flying out of nowhere, and hit him right in the chest.

He collapsed to the ground, grasping his chest in pain.

"Wait a minute..." She said to herself, but was interrupted again.

She didn't know what to say when she saw herself, running down next to Kirux, crouching down at his side.

...

"Do you remember now?" The guy said.

Yeah, she did. It was only a few weeks ago that it had happened, about two or three before her and Kirux had left Twilight Town.

"That thing...was that a...heart?"

She turned towards him, "You. You knew this would happen, didn't you?"

"No. Not this. We only know about it through observation."

"Then," she responded, "How did you know everything that happened after? Everything with Kirux's dreams, and all of that."

"You must remember. Ansem would always have a connection with Kirux's heart, no matter how many times you two strike him down."

"So you're saying...that he knew all of those dreams would start showing up?"

The man shook his head, "No. The dreams were not our doing. But, the connection between Ansem and those dreams is...well, not important. Kirux's heart is what generated all of those dreams."

"But...how is that possible? Those memories don't belong to him. How would Kirux's heart be able to do that?"

He smiled, "Simple."

...

Her vision was lost yet again.

...

...

...

Her vision returned yet again, and she was still in Twilight Town.

This time, they were at the top of the clock tower. Her legs were dangling off the edge, much like they always were.

The man was sitting at her side, "You've been here many times. Your time in the Organization, your journey searching for him, in the time between journeys, in your dreams. Everyday, relived again and again, like déjà vu."

"Tell me something, Xion." He said, "What drives you to come here, day after day?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why is it...that you choose to spend so much of your time in this place, when the world is so large? There are so many places you could go, and yet...you choose here. Why is that?"

She looked down at her feet, "I...don't really know. It's just...this place feels like home. The sunset, the ice cream, and...having my friends at my side. It...makes me happy, all of it does."

She looked over at the man, "Why do you ask?"

 _'This feels like I'm having a normal conversation with him.'_

He just stood up, and didn't respond initially.

He stepped down from the ledge, "No reason. I simply wanted to know what makes you happy."

He walked towards her, "In case we needed something to use against you."

...

With his finger, he tapped her once right in the middle of her forehead.

She immediately felt tired, and...began to lean off of the clock tower.

She fell, her vision going black just before she was about to impact the ground.

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Nightmare - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Her vision came back, although a little wobbly at first.

She was finally back in The World That Never Was, in some sort of alley.

"Am...am I back?" She said to herself.

She took a few steps forward, examining this area. She had been inside the dark city many times before, but this area was new. She didn't recognize it.

Then, she noticed something, or really someone.

A person in a black coat stood there.

...

It was Sora.

"S-Sora?" She said to him, running closer.

He turned around, his eyes widening as she approached.

"Yo-You're here?"

"Yes. Sora, tell me what's going on with you. Why are you with the Organization?"

He didn't say anything.

...

"S-Sora? What's wrong?"

He still didn't respond.

"Sora, it's me. Xion. I'm your friend, remember?"

He looked down at the ground, "No..."

"What?"

"No. You're not my friend. You never were. You're just...a puppet, and that's all you're ever gonna be."

"What are you talking about?"

He shook his head.

He then went to run off, but Xion caught his arm.

...

"Sora," she started, "You're not yourself. If you'd stop running and just listen to me, everything will make sense."

He said nothing.

After a few seconds, Sora pulled his hood over his head, yanked his arm away, and ran.

"Sora, wait!" She yelled, but he didn't listen. Soon after that, he...faded away.

Pain came from her head, so she reached her hand up and held it over her right eye.

The markings on her coat got darker again, this time now changing to full gray.

* * *

 _ **Play: Sacred Distance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Eventually, the pain in her head dissipated. Her hand fell back to her side.

"I've got to go after Sora. Maybe he can show me what's going on."

She ran forward, but was stopped after only a few seconds. Two Dream Eaters had appeared in front of her, one of them a lion and the other a massive dinosaur.

They weren't Nightmares, she could obviously tell.

...

She smiled, "I forgot I could control you guys."

The last three worlds she had been to, she hadn't even bothered to make new Spirits for two reasons. One, she wasn't in the worlds for nearly enough time for them to have been somewhat relevant. And two, she...may have forgotten about them entirely.

Thankfully, these two Spirits had just appeared out of nowhere, so she didn't need to take the time to make them herself.

...

Xion spoke to them, "Okay, we need to catch up to Sora. Let's go."

She ran forward, the Spirits following right behind her.

* * *

 **Spirits Acquired: Tyranto Rex, Aura Lion**

* * *

This new area of the dark city was unlike anything she had seen before. The buildings were all varying in size, and the areas between them were all closed off. You had to climb up the building itself (or in one case, cut through them) just to into and out of these areas.

Luckily, Xion and her Spirits didn't have to deal with any enemies at the moment. She knew for a fact that that was going to change, but decided it wasn't worth worrying about at the current moment.

She found herself standing at the bottom of one tall skyscraper, and the only way past was going above it.

"How am I supposed to get up there?" She said to herself, looking at the area around her. There was nothing around that could help her, at least not here.

Just then, she heard one of her Spirits calling to her from afar. She ran over, following it up to a large wall.

The wall looked similar to the one she had to get through earlier, the one where she had to cut through the buildings.

"Maybe it'll work again here." She said to herself, summoning her Keyblade.

...

She hopped back, readied herself, then shot forward towards the wall.

When she opened her eyes again, the building split apart and floated into the air. A path then formed out of what remained of the buildings formed a pathway.

"Hey, it worked." She said, then looked towards the Spirit next to her (the lion), "Good job, you."

She ran ahead on the new path, her Spirits following once again.

...

She finally got over the building, and landed on the ground on the opposite side of it. Luckily, if she wanted to go back, there was a blue platform that she assumed would shoot her up to the top of the building.

She wanted to walk forward, but...she stopped.

Her mind went to Kirux, and what she had seen in those visions before.

What was it that happened to him that day? What was that orb of light that hit him in the chest? Was it really someone else's heart?

Was that the source of all of the dreams and memories he had?

"So many questions," she said to herself, "And nobody who can give me the answers."

"What is the point of going through all of this if I'm not going to end up finding anything?"

...

She just shook her head, "I guess...that's why I'm going through all of this right now. So I _can_ find those answers."

"Hopefully, it will all lead me back to Kirux, too."

She ran forward, further into the city.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Sacred Distance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

She entered the next area, and immediately encountered a person.

She gasped, "Sora."

She ran up to them, "Sora, come on. Why do you keep running from me like this?"

No response.

"Come on. Take the hood off, and say something.

The person took off their hood, but...it wasn't who she expected.

Not at all.

* * *

 _ **Play: Roxas - KH2**_

* * *

Instead of Sora's hair appearing, she saw blonde hair in a very particular style.

One that she recognized very well.

"You're..."

"...Roxas?"

...

She was beyond stunned, "H-how could you be here? Am I...dreaming?"

Roxas very slowly shook his head.

"Come on. Say something."

...

Roxas frowned, "This...really could have been the other way around."

"Huh?"

"But, I get why he chose you."

...

"What do you mean? Who...chose me?"

"It was Kirux's heart, that was so...connected to yours. You were me, so...you know what I felt."

 _'What is he saying? What did Kirux choose me for?'_

"No," she responded, "Roxas, _you're_ you. We're not the same, and...we never were. And I'm sure Sora is with me when I say...that you deserve as much as any of us do to be your own person."

...

Roxas just smiled, "Xion, see? That's why he chose you."

She just shook her head, "I...don't understand. What are you talking about?"

"Kirux, when he went and saved you. It was one or the other, a choice."

"What choice?"

"It was either he saved me, or...he saved you. It couldn't go both ways."

...

"So...Kirux really _could_ have saved you?"

Roxas nodded.

"Why didn't he ever tell me?"

"Xion," Roxas said, placing his hand on her shoulder, "it's okay."

"No, it's not okay. Things didn't have to be like this. Kirux and I wouldn't have had to come on this stupid journey, and you and Axel would..."

She shook her head, "You two would...still be here..."

...

"It's okay, Xion."

"How can you keep saying that?" She said, looking back up at Roxas.

"Because...I understand that as long as you have Kirux, and Kirux has you, then..."

He smiled, "I don't have anything to worry about. You two would always have each other, and...you would be happy. And as long as you're happy, I'm happy too."

"Roxas..."

...

He spoke again, "You remember that time, when Kirux came back after being gone a few days?"

She nodded, "Yeah. Why?"

"Let me finish. I remember...you were so happy he was back that...you hugged him and nearly knocked him off the clock tower."

Xion blushed. Roxas...wasn't lying. She had done that that day.

He laughed, "I'm guessing you remember?"

She nodded slightly, "Why do you bring that up?"

"Because at that point in time, I finally understood."

"Understood what?"

"I understood that you were in love with Kirux."

Xion gasped lightly, "And...you didn't say anything?"

He shook his head, "I thought it was best I let you tell him yourself."

...

...

...

Xion didn't know what to say.

So, she just...hugged him.

She hugged Roxas tightly. _Very_ tightly. She had never even hugged Kirux like this before.

"I miss you," she said quietly, " _We_ miss you."

Roxas eventually hugged her back, "I know you do."

They stood there like that for a long time.

...

...

...

Eventually, she heard Roxas speak one last time.

"Take care, Xion. Look after him for me."

And then suddenly...he was gone.

He had disappeared, right out of her arms.

She looked around, but there was no sign of him anyway.

...

She felt...tears start to sting her eyes.

Why was she crying? She didn't really know.

Nothing could really explain what she was feeling.

Sadness? Guilt? Sorrow? All three and more? She didn't know.

But one thing ran through her mind constantly.

She wanted Roxas and Axel back. Of course, she had wanted that even before all of that had just happened. But now, it was even more intense.

Now, that feeling was raging inside of her heart.

Soon, the tears ceased. The sadness was gone, and was replaced with...anger.

Anger towards the Organization, towards Xehanort, towards...well, you get the picture.

 _'They're gonna pay for doing any of this...'_ She thought to herself.

She ran forward.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Roxas - KH2**_

 _ **Play: Deep Drop - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Some Nightmares emerged in her path, as she ran up the sideways buildings.

She wasn't going to let any of them stop her.

"Get out of my way!" She yelled, summoning her Keyblade while continuing to run at them.

She stuck all of them down with one strike each, not even allowing her Spirits to do anything.

But more of them showed up, these ones larger and more powerful.

Still, Xion dealt with them just as easily.

She grinded on one rail, heading towards another sideways building.

...

More small Nightmares appeared in her path, most of the same as the first ones she had encountered, but some new.

This time, her Spirits actually did most of the work, taking out all but three (out of about ten or twelve) of the Nightmares in the group.

That wasn't all Xion had to deal with though, as a building that was floating in the sky originally came flying down towards her.

But, much like the Nightmares, Xion dealt with it extremely quickly. As soon as it got close, she slashed the thing in half, much like the buildings earlier.

After that, she moved on, hopping onto another rail and jumping onto a higher building.

...

The process was the same, throughout this area.

Run into Nightmares, take them out, maybe destroy a floating building, and move on.

Xion breezed through the entire area in under ten minutes.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Deep Drop - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

When she reached a new area, she was out of breath. Through that whole thing, she hadn't stopped to take a break once.

She leaned again the wall to catch her breath, her Keyblade fading away.

Her Spirits walked up to her, the lion one trying to support her by holding her up.

She just smiled, and rubbed it's head lightly. The dinosaur just walked around, doing it's own thing.

...

...

...

Eventually, Xion finally had enough energy to keep going. She walked forwards slowly.

This area was a normal part of the city, originally. But as you kept going, the only thing to walk one were more sideways buildings that formed a path.

She was walking on that path when she spotted him.

He was standing in the center of the building, facing away from her.

She gasped when she realized who it was, and ran towards him.

...

"Kirux! I found you." She yelled as she got close.

She stopped right behind him, hunching over to catch her breath again.

Kirux turned around and looked at her, but said nothing.

Then...her vision began to wobble again.

"Huh?"

...

...

...

Kirux was gone. Now, standing in front of her, was a new man. He had brown, spiky hair (like Sora's, but a different style), blue eyes, and on his left arm were shards of...armor? She guessed that it was armor.

"Who...are you?" She said.

The man didn't respond.

"Please. Do you know Kirux, or where I can find him?"

Still no response.

"Please! Say something!"

Again, nothing.

...

And then, the guy turned and started to walk away. Just as that happened, he disappeared and Kirux reappeared.

She wanted to chase after him, but...she couldn't move. Her legs wouldn't let her.

"Come on..." she said, still struggling, but it was no use.

"Kirux!" She yelled, "Please!"

"Don't leave me..."

...

There was a burst of light.

* * *

She landed on the ground, right in front of him.

"Oopsy-daisy." Xigbar said, "It wasn't easy putting you into a second sleep, and you _almost_ woke up."

Xion stood up slowly, "So then - all of that stuff I saw, did you put it into my head?"

"No. That wasn't stuff. It was a dream. The falling asleep part is definitely our bad, but we can't put stuff in your head. But hey, I got an idea. Ask your heart, see what it tells you."

"Well," she said, "My heart was...a mixed bag. I felt anger, hate, and rage. But...I also felt sadness and grief. My heart was...aching. That's why I kept going."

"Oh...Thank you, Xion' heart, for bring her right into our grasps. Aren't hearts great? Steering us wrong all the time."

...

"You would know...because we all had hearts! Not just me, but Kirux, Roxas, and Axel too. Back then, I think...that I could feel what Roxas was feeling. He was...sad, and it...made me cry."

She looked back up, "And you have to have a heart to cry!"

Xigbar scoffed, "About time you noticed that."

"Indeed."

...

Xemnas appeared behind her, "A heart is never lost for good. There may have been variances in our dispositions, but a number of us unquestionably showed signs of a burgeoning replacement."

She turned around as he continued, "Once born, the heart can also be nurtured. Our experiments creating Heartless were attempts to control the mind, and convince it to renounce its sense of self. But understand, one can banish the heart from the body, but the body will try to replace it the first chance it gets, for as many times as it takes."

"And so I knew, even after we were divided into Heartless and Nobodies, it was only a temporary separation."

...

"But...why? Why would you lie to ALL of us, and tell us we had no hearts?!"

"You see, kiddo," Xigbar said, "Xemnas and Xehanort formed the Organization for a specific reason. Round up a bunch of empty husks, hook them up to Kingdom Hearts, and fill them with the exact same heart and mind. Translation: They were gonna turn all of the members, including you, into Xehanort."

"Make...more Xehanorts? But...you, Xigbar, aren't you afraid of just becoming someone else?"

Xigbar smiled, "Me? I'm already half-Xehanort."

She looked into his one good eye, and saw what he meant.

...

"That's...crazy."

"However," Xemnas said, "Through weakness of body...weakness of will...or weakness of trust - most of the original members that we had chosen for the Organization were inadequate. They never had the chance to attain their goal. But even this was to be expected."

Xion only felt herself getting more angry.

"We have learned of the heart's folly, and we have achieved all of our goals. This final excursion is proving to be a worthy closing assignment...for the real Organization."

* * *

 ** _Play: Link to All - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance_**

* * *

Xion had heard enough from them both, "Just shut up! You treat other people's hearts like they're bottles on a shelf, but they're not!"

Her Keyblade had appeared, and she continued, "Hearts are made of the people we meet, and how we feel about them - they're what tie us together, even when we're apart. Mine...is what makes me strong."

Xigbar spoke up behind her, "Duh! You're strong because of the ties you have with other people. I mean, as if the Keyblade would choose a weak girl like you."

She had turned to him by this point, but he wasn't done, "But don't be mad. We see much bigger and better things in your future...once you side with us."

She looked down at her Keyblade.

...

She clutched it harder, "I know...I don't deserve the Keyblade, but...I don't care. I'm proud of something much bigger."

She looked back up at Xigbar, "To be with the people it chose."

He gasped.

"My friends...they're my power, and they always will be!"

...

She thought about all of them. All of the friends she's made throughout her life.

Sora, Donald, Goofy, King Mickey, Riku, Kairi.

Aqua and Ventus.

Axel and Roxas.

Kirux.

All of them.

...

"They're what got me this far, and they're what's gonna get me through you!"

Xigbar had lost all of his composure, "Those are just words...you...you've lost..."

He gave up, "Fine. Let's see how your power gets you here! Xemnas! She's all yours."

Xigbar teleported away, as Xion turned back towards Xemnas.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Link to All - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: L'Oscurit**_ ** _á dell'Ignoto - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance_**

* * *

Xemnas lifted his arms up into the air, causing the two buildings behind her up into the air.

They floated at his sides, as Xion readied herself and her Spirits appeared behind her.

 _'I can do this. I can do this.'_

She ran towards Xemnas.

...

...

...

Xemnas had thrown the two buildings at her, two no avail at all. She was able to dodge them with complete ease, and attack him.

She used her combos intensely at first, laying hit after hit onto him without him being able to retaliate.

After her finishing the fourth combo, Xemnas finally teleported away. He teleported across the area a few times, before he finally attacked Xion with his blades.

Even after so long, Xion had never forgotten how badly it hurt to get hit by those things. Getting hit by the blade itself was bad, but the shock and sting aftereffects made it worse.

Luckily, she actually managed to block the second attack from him, and countered by swatting him into the air, then slamming him back down.

 _'Okay. Things are going better than last time. Keep this up.'_

...

Xemnas wasn't done though. He summoned four walls of light around Xion, trapping her inside. He was preparing himself to shoot some of his blades at her, but she jumped out almost too easily. Using Flowmotion, she slammed the ground right next to Xemnas, the shockwave sending him away.

Xemnas then teleported into the air, far out of the reach of the building she was standing on.

He summoned more buildings out of nothing, and threw them at Xion. Most of them were actually really easy to dodge, but others were...not so easy. Xion and her Spirits didn't fare well. Thankfully, the lion was able to heal her just before Xemnas' next attack.

"Despair shall be yours!" He yelled, before a building he launched hit the one Xion was standing on. She was now floating in the air, across from Xemnas.

Four buildings flew towards her, all of them missing. One finally one came flying towards her as well, and it was heading straight for her.

She wasn't afraid though. She knew how to handle this.

She used her Keyblade to destroy the building, and actually ended up stunning Xemnas.

 _'There, now I can probably finish it!'_

...

She attacked him with a mixture of her combos and special attacks, including once where she hit him up to sixteen times with her Keyblade. She also used some of her magic against him, but it didn't do nearly as much as her physical attacks.

Xemnas did recover, so she wasn't able to finish it just then and there.

However, he didn't do anything special after that. He only attacked with his regular blade combos and firing.

...

She was standing across from him, both nearly out of energy.

"You cannot win!" He yelled, firing more of his blades at her.

She swatted them all away, and then ran at him. She then teleported out of the air.

Xemnas looked around, but she was nowhere to be found.

Then, she reappeared right before him, and swatted him into the air.

Xemnas just floated into the air. Xion had won.

* * *

 _ **Stop:**_ ** _L'Oscuritá dell'Ignoto - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance_**

* * *

She was breathing heavily, as Xemnas flew into the air and vanished.

When he was gone, she fell onto her back, continuing to breath heavily. Her Keyblade faded away.

Darkness was flowing out of her body from all places, and the markings on her coat darkened even more. Now, it was solid black. Just a normal Organization XIII coat.

* * *

 _ **Play: Xehanort - The Early Years - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

A dark portal appeared at her side, and the same guy from before showed up.

"You...again..." she said very lightly.

"You just make it too easy," he said, "I know you think you've one, but you lost the moment you dove this far in. You're in the deepest pit of slumber, and you've worn yourself down to nothing. There's no returning to the world above."

"What do you mean?"

The man answered, "We told you. It was not the Keyholes that have been guiding you. They are not the reason you are here. You've been on a path, one we laid out for you...so we could turn you exactly the way you are. The markings on your coat are the key."

Xion was just barely able to raise her arm up, "What?"

"Yes. Those curves and lines you once saw...they demonstrated how much control the darkness had on your heart. When your journey started, your heart was filled with light, untouched by darkness. We couldn't have that."

"You had thought about it before - why you didn't feel the same. It was because slowly but surely...we were gaining control over your heart. Why? Because we need you, Xion."

Her vision started to blur, as he continued, "Or, to be more precise, we need what would be left of you - the fourteenth dark vessel, and the fallback plan if things go south."

She rubbed her eyes, "There's a chance we may never even use you, but...it doesn't hurt to have extra copies."

...

"What's...gonna...happen...to me?"

He responded, "I have told you all I am allowed to say. All of us are already gathered and united, we just need to welcome you, Xion...as our fourteenth member."

...

"...Kirux..."

"Don't even bother. By this point, your precious Kirux is gone. Vanitas made sure to that."

...

Another voice showed up out of nowhere.

 _"Take another guess."_

* * *

 _ **Stop: Xehanort - The Early Years - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Xion heard a dark portal form from somewhere, and somebody come flying out of it.

Before she knew it, the man was gone.

Kirux stood in his place.

...

Xion couldn't believe it.

"Kirux..."

He ran towards the man, leaving Xion behind.

She heard some fighting going on, but not much. It seemed pretty one-sided, anyways.

Before she knew it, Kirux was back at here side, looking her over.

His face showed a lot of things. Horror, fear, just to name a few.

"What did they do to you?"

"Kirux..."

...

He looked at her face, "Yeah, I'm here. It's okay, Xi. You're safe."

Her hand very slowly went up to his face, and found itself resting on his cheek.

"I'm...so glad...to see you...again..." She could barely say.

"I know. I am too."

...

She felt her eyes getting heavy, and he noticed.

"Xion? No, don't. You need to stay awake, okay?"

"I...I can't..."

Her eyes began to close, "Xion? Xion!"

...

Her eyes fully shut, and she felt Kirux lift her up.

She heard him speak to her.

"Don't worry. I'm getting you out of here, then...I'll save you."

"I promise..."

* * *

 **Man, I love writing chapters at 3:00 AM. It's so much fun...**

 **I feel it was worth it though. Let me know if you agree.**

 **Please everyone leave a review. I want to know your thoughts.**

 **Until next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	21. XXI - Crossing Between

**Heya.**

 **Allow me to explain something. This is Kirux's side of The World That Never Was. After you read this, what happened at the end of the last chapter will make more sense. I didn't combine the two because the chapter would have been well over 10,000 words long. That's a lot to keep up with in a chapter you'll probably only spend five to ten minutes reading. So that's why they're separate.**

 **And make sure you all read the ending note, because I think it'll get you hyped. So hyped, you will forget about Kingdom Hearts 3.**

 **Lol. We all know that's impossible, but I still know you're all very anxious. So keep going.**

* * *

 _ **Play: Sacred Distance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Kirux floated downward slowly, his feet landing softly onto the light-gray platform.

His first instinct was to look over the new area he was in, which is exactly what he did.

It was pretty obvious to see that he wasn't at Master Yen Sid's tower. No, he was far from it.

...

"Where am I?" He said, but that question was already answered.

He could tell exactly what this place was, the one place he had actually called "home." It wasn't actually home for him, just...a place of residence. Let's call it that.

It was The World That Never Was. The headquarters of Organization XIII, or at least...it was. And it seemed like it was just that once again.

Kirux wasn't concerned about what the world was here for. He only cared about why he appeared in this world.

"Why am I here?" He said, "I unlocked all seven Keyholes, so...I should have appeared back in the world I came from."

He turned around, "Am I really gonna have to go through all of this again?"

He frowned at the thought of that.

...

The seven Keyholes were unlocked. He should be back home, with Xion, maybe even Sora and Riku.

He shouldn't have to go through another world. He didn't want to go through another world. He wanted this to be over, so he and Xion could find their way to saving Roxas and Axel.

But no. Organization XIII and all those freaks had to go and mess everything up.

Now, he had more work to do, work that in the end would probably end up meaning nothing.

But hey, maybe he'd run into Xion, if she got sent here too. If not, well...then they'd have some problems.

...

He looked down at his feet and closed his eyes, "I...really don't want to go through all of this again."

Then he sighed, looking back up at the path ahead, "Guess I don't have a choice..."

He walked forward slowly, up the walkway.

...

...

...

He thought to himself as he went on, _'Seriously though, why am I here?'_

 _'What is it that Xehanort and Organization XIII want from me? The last three times I've encountered one of them, they've all talked about how they're gonna try to get rid of me.'_

 _'Sky and Ansem even tried to, but Vanitas...man, he's just too cryptic. You can never tell what he's gonna do.'_

 _'This isn't just about me though. What are they planning with Xion, and Sora, and even Riku? I haven't seen or heard anything about them in a while, Sora and Riku they haven't even mentioned. Master Yen Sid said they were in the Sleeping Worlds, but...where?'_

 _'Did the Organization capture them, or did they make it through their exam alright? I can only hope it's the latter, but you never know.'_

 _'I just hope, that no matter what happens...we all turn out okay in the end. Xion, Sora, Riku, myself...I can only hope that we all get out of this alive.'_

...

...

...

As he walked, he ran into something he hadn't seen in a while.

Spirits. They appeared right in front of him, in the pathway towards a much larger room than the ones he had already been to.

Two Spirits had appeared before him, one of them being akin to a tiger, the other a dragon(?). It looked more like a dragon than a dinosaur, so that's what he was going with.

Kirux was a bit surprised at first, but eventually smiled. He had forgotten that he had the ability to make and control Spirits, as the last few worlds had been relatively easy to get through without them.

The two Spirits approached him, both seeming to be happy to see him. The dragon was hopping around, jumping into the air, and doing flips. The tiger wasn't as enthusiastic, but it seemed to Kirux that it was still happy just to see him.

He rubbed it's head a little bit, which the Spirit definitely liked. Kirux spoke as he did, "It's nice to finally have some friendly faces around."

He stopped, and spoke again, "I wonder..."

...

He put his hand out in front of him, and sure enough, the bat Spirit he had in Traverse Town appeared in his hand. It flew around him, and perched itself on his shoulder.

He smiled, "Good thing I can summon you guys here."

"I'll call when I need you, okay?"

The bat jumped off his shoulder, and flew right in front of him. From there, it disappeared for whenever Kirux would need it.

He spoke to the other two Spirits, "Okay, you two. We've got work to do and a ton of ground to cover, so let's go."

He ran into the next room, the Spirits both following close behind him.

* * *

 **Spirits Acquired: Keeba Tiger, Ryu Dragon**

* * *

From everything he could see, this was not the same castle he had been to before. The areas were nowhere close to the same.

The first room in particular was extremely bizarre. One of the rooms was massive, and had a center platform that was surrounded by these strange blue beams. Not only that, but red lasers would shoot out from a cylinder from the center of that platform.

The lasers bounced around the walls, and one of them grazed his arm.

"Ow." He said, grabbing the spot it hit lightly. It didn't really hurt to get hit by them, it just...stung. That was all.

"I've got to get those beams down somehow. But...how?"

He looked around, as another burst of lasers were shot out from the center. None of these ones hit him nor his Spirits.

Kirux found a passageway on the left side of the room, and ran over. The Spirits followed, dodging more lasers.

...

In this passageway, there were two long rails that went up towards a strange looking sphere. It looked armored for some reason, but he decided to get a closer look to find out what the deal was.

Getting to the sphere was no problem, the two rails made it too easy. The sphere was definitely armored, and clearly had some purpose if it was just chilling right here.

Kirux's Keyblade appeared in his hand, and he struck the sphere one time. The armor cracked, but nothing seemed to change about it.

So, Kirux struck it again, and the armor cracked even further. One more swing would have done it, so Kirux did just that.

The sphere cracked even further, and burst into light. A hole appeared, right under where the sphere had been.

"Wonder where this leads." He said to himself, and jumped in.

Much to his surprise, he landed on top of that cylinder that shot out all of the lasers. Another burst was shot out when he landed.

"Okay," he said to himself, "Now I just need to get rid of this thing."

He jumped down, Keyblade still in hand. He tried to see if the red cylinders would break if he struck them, so he swung hard.

Sure enough, they did. The ones his blade struck shattered on impact, about two or three of them.

Kirux smiled, "All right. Now we're getting somewhere."

He repeated that with all of the red cylinders, until all of them were shattered. After that, the cylinder sank into the platform, and the blue beams dispersed.

A long winding path formed, leading to the top of the room. He could see two different pathways at the top.

He didn't really care, though. At least he had a way out of the room now.

Kirux ran up the pathway, the Spirits (having finally caught up to him) followed.

...

He got to the top, arriving at the two branching paths. One path led to an area that was more lit up and seemed more promising, the other leading to a hallway that was darker and didn't look nearly as promising.

"I don't have time to go exploring," he said, and turned towards the more lit path.

"I've got to get to the end of this place, and fast. If Xion or anyone else is here, than I've got to find a way to them."

He ran off, the way he had chosen being the right move. There was an exit in this area, and he ran straight through.

...

...

...

Kirux was now in an outdoor area, or as close to outdoors as he could get. This area was a long pathway, and you could see some of the outside of the castle. It wasn't much though, because all you could see were other branches and towers of the castle.

He walked through the entire area, his Spirits moving along the path on their own. His hand was resting on the railing as he walked, looking out towards the very little he could see.

He felt...uneasy.

He wasn't sure where it came from, or what it really was. But he just felt that something was wrong, or going to go wrong.

Maybe the Organization had something planned, and were waiting for him to go further into the castle before they made their move.

If that was the case, then...should he consider turning back? It wasn't too late to stop and try another way.

"No," he said to himself, "Something is wrong, and I've got to figure out what it is. I don't know if it involves me, Xion, or anybody else, but I do know...that I've got to stop it."

...

Speaking of Xion, well...you already know what he was thinking.

Was she okay? Was she holding up on her own?

He knew that he was most likely over exaggerating, but...could you blame him? He was in the Organization's world, and if this went anything like the other worlds, then she was too.

He remembered what Vanitas had said, back at the Castle of Dreams.

 _"We've got plenty of uses for Xion."_ What did that mean? What were Vanitas and the Organization going to do to her?

He had sworn to himself that he wasn't going to let anybody hurt her, no matter what. But...how could he do that if he was technically an entire world away from her?

 _'I'll find a way to get to her,'_ he thought to himself, _'I just know I will. Even if I have to force someone to show me the way to her.'_

...

He had gotten lost in his thoughts, and found himself at the end of the path. His Spirits were trying to get his attention, but he had been ignoring them. He actually jumped when the dragon had gotten closer to him.

"Sorry," he said, patting it on the head once, "Let's keep going."

His Spirits led the way this time, into the next area.

...

...

...

The next area was even more outdoors than the first. You could see more of the sky than before, and more of the taller towers were now visible. Kirux had a good look around as he walked forward.

He had to give credit to the Organization. The design of this castle and how it looked was...actually not bad. He could commend them for that, but...that was about it.

Nevertheless, the sights of the castle weren't what mattered. He just had to keep going, and that's what he did.

...

Towards the end of the area, in a part that was an open circle, someone appeared in his path.

He had the Organization's coat, but...Kirux didn't recognize him. He looked young, and had silver hair, much like Xemnas and Ansem did, and the yellow eyes that every member seemed to have. Kirux stood before him, keeping his guard up as much as he could. His Spirits also seemed to recognize that he was bad news.

"Who are you?" He said angrily.

"I am Xehanort. It's nice to finally meet you, Kirux, even though you have almost no time left."

Kirux was confused, "Huh? _You're_ Xehanort?"

"Yes. Is that surprising to you?"

"Well...I guess I expected you to be a lot older, considering...you know, everything."

"That's right," "Xehanort" said, laughing lightly, "You weren't as informed about us as much as Sora and Riku were."

...

Kirux gasped, and stood up straight, "Wait...how do you know about Sora and Riku?!"

He was smiling, "Quite a lot, now. You see...Sora never made it out of his Mark of Mastery exam."

Kirux's eyes widened as he went on, "Sora is one of us now. His heart has been smothered by the darkness, and he's already made a fine vessel. And to think..."

"...that that vessel could have been you, Kirux."

Kirux scrunched his face in anger.

...

Xehanort pointed at him, "You were originally going to be the final vessel for Xehanort, at least...that was before he found his way into your heart."

Kirux put a hand up to his chest, ""He?" Who are you talking about?"

"Oh, I think you already know the answer."

 _'No, I don't know that answer. That's why I asked.'_

"Think well, Kirux. Why is it that you started having those dreams, of the memories that didn't belong to you? Why is it that through half your journey...you began to harness abilities and powers that weren't yours?"

Kirux thought about it, and he was right. Kirux _had_ been using abilities that he had never used nor seen before. Through three different worlds, he couldn't use magic at all. It had been completely useless.

And...it was because someone was in _his_ heart?

No...it didn't make any sense.

...

He shook his head, then yelled at Xehanort, "No! My heart belongs to me!"

His Keyblade appeared, but Xehanort just waved his hand, "You won't get a fight from me, but...continue on, and maybe you will."

He disappeared.

...

...

...

Kirux looked at the ground.

 _'None of this makes any sense. Why would someone else's heart be inside of mine?'_

 _'And...if that's really Xehanort, then...'_

He just shook his head. It was all too much to handle.

Everything, with Xehanort, Sora, and now himself...so much had just been dropped on him in such a short period of time.

"I've got to find Xion and Sora and get out of here."

He ran forward, hopping onto the lift, and taking it up to the next area.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Sacred Distance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Kirux walked into this area, a massive circle that had no other areas for him to go.

It was a dead end. A massive, round dead end.

He walked forward slowly, speaking as he looked around him, "Is...that really it?"

"Is this as far as I can go?"

...

He sighed, "All of that, and...for nothing."

He continued to move forward, until...something changed.

...

The area around him morphed. The castle disappeared, being replaced by an orange void, chains moving around in the void. The ground was also replaced by...rock.

Kirux looked around in confusion, "What..?"

He turned around, and found somebody kneeling there. It was a man in orange, brown, and black armor, with a brown cape on his back. A massive brown Keyblade stood in the ground before him.

 _'Hold on...isn't that..?'_

"T-Terra?"

* * *

 _ **Play: Rage Awakened - The Origin - KH Birth By Sleep**_

* * *

This man, whether it was Terra or not, stood up at the sound of Kirux's voice. He was much taller than Kirux, by a couple of feet, to be more precise.

He reached in front of him, grabbing the Keyblade, and holding it at his side.

Kirux still had no idea what was going on.

"Terra, is...that yo-"

He was interrupted by the man dashing towards him, swinging the Keyblade at Kirux. Kirux managed to dodge the first one, but the man swung at him immediately after the first, which Kirux also dodged.

He put a barrier up around himself as the man attacked for the third time. The blade impacted the shield hard, and it almost cracked. But it thankfully held up.

Kirux was sent flying back, landing a few feet away from the man.

 _'I don't know what's happening, or who this is, but...I can't not defend myself or fight back.'_

Kirux summoned his Keyblade, and readied himself to fight...whoever this guy was.

...

...

...

The man attacked again, using the same attack he had just used against Kirux a few seconds prior. Now that he had his Keyblade, defending from these attacks was much easier. He was able to actually keep the barrier up without it cracking.

But the guy did the same attack two more times immediately after that. Kirux wasn't able to hold up the barrier after the first strike from the third attack, and got hit both times.

And man, it did not feel good. It felt like he was getting hit by a truck each time he hit Kirux.

For the first minute or two, Kirux was on the defensive. He didn't lay a single hit on the guy.

Finally, Kirux was able to get at least on combo on the guy. Unfortunately, it was only one before the man retaliated.

His Keyblade seemed to transform into a whip or something like that. He twirled it around him, nearly getting to Kirux. Luckily, Kirux got far enough away to avoid it. He followed that up by knocking the guy in the air, before slamming him back into the ground, the hit itself and the impact itself doing damage to the man. The impact of the ground even stunned him.

Kirux used that to lay into him with as many combos as he could. He layed out five before the man regained himself, and used the whip attack again. This time, Kirux wasn't as lucky, and didn't escape the attack. He got hit too many times for him to count, and was close to defeat after only that one attack.

He healed himself, while the man transformed his Keyblade into something else. He threw it into the air behind him, and it turned into a...glider? Yes, a glider. And he flew it straight at Kirux. Kirux dodged the first time he passed by, but not any of the other ones after that. He got hit four times, and was close to defeat yet again.

He pulled out a potion, and used it on himself. Thankfully, the man decided to stop constantly attacking Kirux. Unfortunately, Kirux didn't attack him fast enough, so he just dashed away.

He turned his Keyblade into another new item, this time a massive cannon that he held over his shoulder. The cannon charged up, and a massive ball of energy shot towards Kirux. He blocked it, and it actually ricocheted into the man. He flew into the air, which Kirux fully used to his advantage.

He used his dark power to freeze him into place, and teleported around him, striking him multiple times each time he reappeared. After the final strike, he unfroze and all of the attacks registered.

The man definitely looked like he was worn out, but definitely not out of it.

...

He unleashed one final attack, undoubtedly his most powerful one. A circle formed around him, but dispersed when he dashed towards Kirux. He swung his blade over and over again, failing to land any hits. But the attack wasn't over.

In the second phase, his blade had split into two, and two disks of energy spun around the man as he advanced towards Kirux. Again, Kirux was too fast for any of the attacks to get him. Then, the final phase started.

The man teleported all over the place, either dashing at Kirux or swinging his Keyblade at him. Kirux was able to block most of those attacks, and the ones he didn't block missed. The last attack was a dash towards Kirux, as a circle of energy surrounded the man. Kirux was able to just jump over that one.

He finished the man off with two more combos.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Rage Awakened - The Origin - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

The man stood before Kirux, who was hunched over and breathing heavily.

 _"You...you are strong."_

"Huh?"

 _"Good to know that I put my heart in good hands."_

"What are you talking about?! Who are you, and who's heart?!"

The man didn't respond. He just planted his Keyblade back into the ground, and knelled again.

...

The area faded back to normal. Kirux was back in The World That Never Was.

He looked down, his Keyblade fading away, "What is going on?"

"Well, it's about time."

He groaned internally, speaking to himself, "Oh great. What now?"

He turned, and found Vanitas standing there. He was tossing something in his hand, something small.

* * *

 _ **Play: Enter the Darkness - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Vanitas walked closer to him, "You know, I was starting to think that you weren't gonna make it, but...you're just full of surprises."

Kirux glared at him, and then noticed what was in his hand.

He gasped. He would recognize that thing from anywhere.

...

Xion's thalassa shell. Vanitas had it in his hand, and was twirling it on his finger now. You see, Olette had turned it into a necklace a while back for her, and she had never taken it off since.

"Tell me," Kirux said angrily, "How did you get that?"

Vanitas stopped twirling it, "What, this? Oh, I found it...off of some "girl" that's not even supposed to exist."

He smiled evilly, a look Vanitas could pull of almost perfectly, "Besides, I don't think she'll be needing this anymore..."

He dropped it onto the ground, "...if you ask me."

He crushed it, underneath his boot.

Kirux was stunned.

...

Vanitas kicked the remnants away, Kirux following where they ended up.

Vanitas summoned his Keyblade, "Just like we...don't need you anymore."

He raised his Keyblade, ready to fight.

But Kirux was still too stunned to do anything.

"You...you..." He said.

...

He clenched his fists hard, as his whole body shook with anger.

"YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT!" He yelled, which only caused Vanitas to smile.

Kirux pulled his Keyblade back out, and readied himself.

 _'There's no way I'm letting you live now...'_ He thought to himself.

...

...

...

Vanitas attacked first, swinging downwards at Kirux, then back up. Kirux dodged both attacks, and knocked Vanitas up before slamming him back down. Kirux then went in for some combos, but Vanitas countered all of them with his Keyblade.

In fact, neither of them could lay any hits on one another after that point. Whenever one would attack, the other would either block or parry the attack.

...

It went on like that for a few minutes, until their Keyblades clashed together. Kirux grabbed his with his other hand, but couldn't hold back. He lost his grip, and his Keyblade was sent flying away to the side.

Vanitas tried attacking him many times after that, but Kirux jumped up right when he had swung downwards.

He landed on his blade, and shot a blast of dark fire into his face. The blast blinded him, and he stumbled backward.

Just when Vanitas had gotten his vision back, Kirux tackled him to the ground.

Kirux punched him when he tried to get back up, and then again while he was on the ground.

And he didn't let up after that. Kirux punched Vanitas in the face over, and over, and over, and over, and over again. He punched him so many times, blood started coming from his nose and cuts on his cheeks and by his eyes. His left eye was also so damaged and swollen, it was nearly shut.

Kirux finally pulled back, but he wasn't done with Vanitas. He stood up, and grabbed him, dragging him over to the wall. He pulled him up, slamming his back against the wall. He summoned his sword (which he was surprised he could still do), and held it right at his throat.

...

For a few seconds, they just stood there. Kirux looked at him with fury in his eyes.

He wanted to hurt him. No, worse. He wanted to _kill_ him.

"I should have killed you," he said fiercely, "Back in Sora's heart."

...

Vanitas coughed once, then laughed lightly, "You're gonna be glad you didn't..."

"Why would I, after everything you've done?"

"You...you need me...I can get you back to her..."

Kirux didn't respond.

...

"Okay then," he said, "Open the way for me, and...maybe I'll let you live."

Vanitas laughed, "You really think I'm gonna do that?"

Kirux pulled his sword, "Oh, I don't know..."

He began to trace the cuts on his face with the edge of the blade, "I could deepen these cuts, if that's what you want. And..."

He tapped it against the side of his left eye, "Do you think Xehanort would want another member with only one eye?"

Vanitas winced from the pain, and gave up, "Okay! Okay! Fine, you win..."

He put his hand up, past Kirux. An object appeared, similar to the one that Kirux had used when he went into Sora's heart.

"You can use that. It'll get you to Xion."

...

Kirux's sword faded away, "All right,"

Then he turned around, and punched Vanitas one last time. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Enter the Darkness - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Kirux walked away from him, and towards what was left of Xion's thalassa shell.

He held some of the pieces in his hands. It was completely shattered. There was no way of repairing it.

He sighed, grasping the fragments tightly, "I'm sorry, Xion. I'll make it up to you. I promise."

...

He went over to the object Vanitas had created, and summoned his Keyblade.

"This better take me to Xion, or he's gonna have hell to pay." He said to himself.

He pointed his blade at the object, and it began to glow. Within a few seconds, he was being brought in to it.

* * *

He reappeared in a...strange area. It was an endless void, but...it didn't feel like the darkness. It was actually...kind of peaceful.

He saw something appear in front of him. It showed some sort of scene.

And guess who he saw.

...

Xion was there, but...she seemed different.

"Her coat," he said to himself, "Why is it solid black? It had white markings the last time I saw her."

She was lying on the ground, with someone at her side. It was Xehanort, the one he had encountered earlier.

...

He heard him speaking, "Don't even bother. By this point, your precious Kirux is gone. Vanitas made sure to that."

Kirux scoffed, and yelled through the projection, "Take another guess."

He summoned his Keyblade, and ran into the projection.

...

...

...

He was then in the air, flying straight at Xehanort. He swung down towards him, but the attack barely missed.

"But...that's impossible!" Xehanort said, "How did you get here?!"

Kirux didn't say anything to him.

He heard Xion speak to him from behind, "Kirux..."

 _'Get rid of Xehanort first, then help Xion.'_

He ran at Xehanort, but was stopped in his tracks.

His Spirits, they came back to him. They ran towards Xehanort, and attacked him.

Kirux smiled, "Not what I had in mind, but I'll take it."

He ran back towards Xion.

...

He slid to her side, and finally got to get a better look at her.

What he saw...it mortified him...

Darkness was flowing throughout her entire body. The white markings that were on her coat were now gone. She looked weak, and could fall asleep at any moment.

Kirux spoke softly, "What did they do to you?"

...

She spoke again, even softer than he just had, "Kirux..."

He looked at her face, and...she was smiling. How could she be smiling right now?

He lifted her head up lightly, "Yeah, I'm here. It's okay, Xi. You're safe."

Her hand rested itself on his cheek as she spoke again, "I'm...so glad...to see you...again..."

"I know. I am too."

...

Kirux noticed her eyes starting to close, very slowly, "Xion? No, don't. You need to stay awake, okay?"

"I...I can't..."

Her eyes shut, "Xion? Xion!"

It was too late. She had fallen asleep.

...

Kirux picked her up, "Don't worry. I'm getting you out of here, then...I'll save you."

"I promise..."

A portal appeared above him, and he jumped into it.

* * *

 **Let me make this quick:**

 **I wanted to post something for Valentine's Day, but I didn't. Sorry.**

 **I'm hyped for Kingdom Hearts 3, as is everyone else.**

 **AND** (this biggest thing of all) **"The Soldier of Darkness" is being completely rewritten.**

 **There, that's everything. Leave a review, and I'll see you next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	22. XXII - Dark Occupation

**Sorry this took a while. A lot of stuff happened and time very quickly got away from me. Again, I'm sorry, but I'm back now.**

 **So let's keep going. Just a warning, this chapter is kind of dark. Just putting that out there.**

 _(Also, do yourselves a favor. Listen to the song "Broken" by From Ashes to New. The song reminds of Kirux, for some reason. Let me know if you agree.)_

* * *

Kirux landed on the ground roughly after appearing out of the portal. Xion was still asleep in his arms.

He took his eyes away from her, and looked up at the area the two of them had landed in.

He was somewhat surprised to have ended up at Memory's Skyscraper, but at this point, nothing else should really surprise him.

And given their current situation, he didn't have time to take in the surroundings. Not while Xion was like this.

His Spirits appeared, both standing near him and Xion.

He spoke to them, "You two did good. Take a break for now. I'll call you when I need you."

The Spirits then disappeared for whenever Kirux would need them again.

...

He looked back down at Xion, who still slept in his arms. Her coat was still solid black, as it had been since he found his way to her.

And for some reason, she was still smiling in her sleep. He thought to himself, _'Seriously, how in the world could she possibly be smiling at a time like this?'_

He sighed, and laid her down on the ground.

...

"All right, what can I do?" He said, crossing his arms over his chest. He started pacing back-and-forth, thinking over his options.

What could he do to wake Xion up? Her heart must be sleeping, or something like that.

Should he try and jump in and try to wake her up? He did something like that before, when he saved her from Sora's heart.

Should he just wait it out, and let her wake up on her own? Only problem with doing that was that he didn't know if Xion was strong enough to handle it on her own.

...

He shook his head, _'You worry too much.'_

Then he started arguing with himself, _'Come on, can you really blame me? Look at what's happened to her.'_

 _'I'm fully aware of that. You're having a conversation with yourself, you know. How is it that she doesn't make fun of us for this?'_

 _'Thankfully, she can't look into my head. Or,_ our _head.'_

 _'Anyways, we're getting sidetracked. How are we gonna help her?'_

 _'I dunno. I don't think diving into her heart would help, but we can't just leave her here like this so she can deal with it herself.'_

 _'What? You don't think she's strong enough on her own?'_

 _'No, it's not that. It's just...I don't know.'_

 _'Well, we've got to do something. Xehanort isn't going to just up and quit.'_

...

...

...

Then, a new voice rang out in his head, one that wasn't his own, _"Come on, Kirux. You can't just give up like that."_

He gasped, "That voice...T-Terra? Is that you?"

 _"Yes. You're getting it a lot faster now."_

...

Kirux found himself clenching his fists, "Man, you've got a lot of explaining to do. Why in the world are you inside of _my_ heart? Why did you attack me back there? And lastly, what in the world does Xehanort want with Xion and I?"

 _"Listen, Kirux. I know you're confused, and have a ton of questions. But I can't answer them right now."_

"Why not? I need to know if I'm gonna get anything done."

 _"Yes, you do. But now is not the time."_

"Don't play that game with me! You can see what's wrong with Xion! I don't have time to wait around!"

 _"I know, and I'm sorry. But there's still a lot you have to do before I can tell you what's really going on."_

"Like what?"

 _"Well, you still have Xehanort to deal with, and that's after you wake Xion up."_

"Okay. Then tell me what I need to do to wake her up."

 _"I...think you're about to find out."_

"What does that mean?"

There was no response, so Kirux called out again, "Terra? Terra, are you still there?"

Again, no response, and Kirux got even more angry, "Terra, I know you're still in there! Don't think you can run inside of my heart and hide! It's MY heart, and you don't belong here!"

"Man, you're so loud."

* * *

 _ **Play: Another Side - KH 1.5**_

* * *

Kirux turned around, finding Xion now standing up. She was hunched over, looking down at the ground.

"Xion!" He yelled, and ran towards her.

Then, she looked up at him, and he skidded to a stop.

...

Her eyes...they weren't the same.

They were...yellow...

...

He took one step closer to her, speaking, "Are...are you really Xion?"

"What are you talking about? Of course I'm Xion."

"Then...why are your eyes yellow?"

...

"She" frowned, and looked down at the ground.

Kirux took another step forward, "Who are you, really? And what have you done to my friend?"

Xion, or whoever it was, didn't respond.

Then...she started laughing. And it wasn't a good laugh. It was...maniacal, evil, and... _dark_.

This definitely wasn't Xion, at least not the Xion he knew.

...

Kirux took a step back, as she looked back up at him.

She was smiling, but like her laugh, it was not in a good way, "I thought you would have noticed it sooner, Kirux."

Kirux gasped, as an image suddenly flashed, and Xion wasn't the one who stood in her place.

His fists clenched, and his face scrunched in anger, "You..."

It was him. The one Kirux had just beaten senseless in his side of the worlds. The only one he could think of that had this much of a vendetta against him and Xion.

The one and only Vanitas.

...

...

...

"You've got a lot of nerve showing yourself again." Kirux said, right after his vision returned to normal.

"What? You're not happy to see me?" She said, but...her voice wasn't the same. There was Xion's, but it was mixed with Vanitas' too.

It only made Kirux more angry.

"Why, off all the people, would I be happy to see you?"

"Well, I brought you back to her, and...then I may have been ordered to drown her heart in the darkness while we take control of her body."

Kirux scoffed, "Like I would let you do that."

"You already did. I mean...look at where we are now." Vanitas said, putting his (or hers. You get what I mean.) arms out to his (seriously, is it his or hers?) sides, "I've taken full control of Xion's body and mind."

Then, they (I'm sticking with that) shuttered a little, before standing back upright, "Well, almost full control."

...

Kirux smiled, "So...you're telling me Xion is still partially there?"

"N-no. Xion is gone. You're not getting her back, no matter what you try."

Kirux shook his head, "You know..."

...

His Keyblade appeared in his hand, "...I like going against overwhelming odds."

"Are you really gonna be that stubborn?"

"Vanitas, if you're in Xion's head, you should know that I don't give up easily."

 _'You need to get serious now. Xion is still in there, and you're the only that can get her out.'_

...

Kirux's face changed, "And Xion is off-limits, so if you want me to go easy, you'll get yourself out of her heart _now_."

Xion/Vanitas smiled, "Really? Or what?"

"Or else...I'll do a lot worse than just scratch and bruise your face."

...

Then, they frowned, "Well, how can I turn down a challenge like this?"

They put their hand out, and a Keyblade appeared. Not Xion's Keyblade. Vanitas' Keyblade.

That made the situation even more dire. Xion must be _really_ deep in the darkness.

 _'You've got this...'_ Kirux thought to himself, _'Don't think of it as Xion. She's not there anymore...'_

...

...

...

Despite his hesitation, Kirux was the one that attacked first. He ran hard towards Xion/Vanitas, and swung downward.

His blade collided with the pavement, bouncing off. They had disappeared.

They reappeared to his left, in the center of the area. They muttered something that he couldn't make out, and dark energy began to surround this.

"Say goodbye, Kirux." They said, before teleporting away. Xion/Vanitas then proceeded to attack Kirux from seemingly all directions.

The first attack was them slamming the ground, a shockwave of darkness illuminating itself around the point of impact. The second was them dashing towards Kirux extremely quickly, him not being able to dodge it at first. The third one was them slicing a large X in the air, and firing it towards Kirux. After those three, the cycle repeated, but the attacks came out a lot more faster. Kirux could dodge the early ones, but the others were just too quick for him.

He got back up, just as Xion/Vanitas landed back on the ground. He swung at them, but they just parried his attacks. He went in to attack again, but they just did the same thing as before, and knocked his blade away.

Kirux didn't let up, attacking over and over again. None of his attacks were able to hit them, so he shot a blast of dark fire at them. It looked as if it would hit them, but Xion/Vanitas did something he never would have expected.

They caught it in their hand, spun around once, then threw it back towards Kirux. He was too stunned to do anything, and got blasted in the face by the shot.

He flew backwards, landing hard on his back. Some of the fire had scratched his face and had formed a scar, small embers still burning along the edges of it.

Xion/Vanitas laughed darkly, "Man, you're a lot weaker than before. I thought you'd be more of a challenge, but...this is just too easy."

Kirux screamed at them, "SHUT UP!"

...

He grabbed his Keyblade from his side, and ran towards them again. They shot something towards him, but he dodged it with ease.

Using his left hand, he shot another blast at Xion/Vanitas, but it exploded before it reached them. It formed a circular smokescreen around them, making it so they couldn't see Kirux get closer.

He summoned the sword in his left hand, and held both of his weapons close. He ran through the smokescreen, and attacked.

He blocked one of their attacks with his Keyblade, then stabbed at them with his sword. He managed to get their weapon down, and then attacked relentlessly.

He felt bad for having to hurt Xion, but like he said before this fight began. Xion was gone, for now. This wasn't her doing any of this, it was Vanitas.

Either way, there wasn't any going back. He was already hitting her over and over again, without stopping.

He swung up with both of his weapons, and Xion/Vanitas was sent flying into the air. They landed on their back, standing back up slowly.

Kirux was looking down at the ground, "You see now what I'm capable of! Now, let Xion go!"

...

"Kirux?"

He was stunned to hear that next voice. He'd recognize it from anywhere.

He looked back up, and saw her. The Keyblade they had once held was gone, and their eyes...were blue again.

It was Xion. The real Xion.

"X-Xion?"

"W-what are you doing? Are you-?"

He looked down at his hands, and saw the two blades, "No. No no no, it's not like that."

"But...why? Why would you do such a thing?"

Her eyes filled with tears, and Kirux's heart shattered.

"Xion, you know I would neve-,"

She started crying, "I don't understand...why you would try and hurt me like that..."

...

"Xion," he said, running up to her and grabbing her shoulders, "I would _never_ try to hurt you. It - it was Vanitas..."

He pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her as tightly as he could. She buried her face into his collarbone, as he rested his own in her hair.

"I would never hurt you, Xion. Ever. I swear..."

...

...

...

She continued to cry into him.

Until her crying transitioned into...laughing. The same laugh from before.

Kirux heard it, and pulled back. Xion was looking down at the ground, still laughing.

"Xion?" He said lightly.

She spoke, "You're so gullible..."

He gasped, "No..."

Then, a blast of darkness sent him flying back away from her. He hit the wall (a side of one of the buildings), and fell down to the ground. He was extremely weak and in tons of pain.

He looked back at Xion, who closed her eyes. When they reopened, the yellow eyes had come back.

Kirux's heart shattered even more.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Another Side - KH 1.5**_

* * *

Xion/Vanitas smiled at him, "I cannot believe you fell for that! Oh man, you should have seen the look on your face when you realized how stupid you had been!"

They were laughing again, in that dark way. Kirux just glared at them from the ground.

"Tell me, Kirux," they said, walking towards him slowly, "What is it that you really want out of all of this?"

"I mean, you went through this whole journey, fighting those Dream Eaters and my Unversed, helped plenty of people you've never even met, and...what was it all for?"

They picked Kirux up by the throat, and put him up against the wall.

"This seems familiar, doesn't it?" Vanitas snarled at him. Xion's voice had drowned out when they said that.

Kirux said nothing.

...

"Answer the question, Kirux." They said to him, getting right in his face.

Kirux still didn't respond. Just staring right into their eyes.

"You know, she really doesn't want me to do this, but..."

Then, they punched Kirux extremely hard in the face.

"Tell me. What was this whole journey for?"

Kirux remained silent, and earned himself another punch. Xion/Vanitas asked again, and he still didn't respond. Every time they asked, and Kirux stayed silent, he got slugged.

...

He had been punched around seven or eight times when they relented. Kirux's face was busted pretty badly, but at least his eyes were mostly untouched. He could still see clearly out of them.

Xion/Vanitas was angry now, and pulled their Keyblade out.

"You know what?" they said to him, "It doesn't matter. Whatever goal you and her had for this journey will remain unfulfilled. Because you..."

They put the blade up to Kirux's throat, "You're not gonna live to see it. You won't, and neither will, Xion."

"Look deep into these eyes, Kirux. Because regardless of their color, it's the last time you're ever gonna see them."

...

Kirux said nothing, but his mind was racing.

He'd never get to see Roxas again. He'd never get to see Axel again. He'd never get to hang out with Hayner, Pence, and Olette back home. He'd never get to go up to the clock tower in the evenings anymore.

Worst of all: He'd never get to see Xion again. Never get to wake up at her side, hold her in his arms, see her smile back at him, do _anything_ with her.

Tears weld up in his eyes, but he did not dare let them fall.

Xion/Vanitas prepared to cut his throat, effectively ending his life.

He shut his eyes, and waited for it to happen...

...

...

...

Then, out of nowhere, Xion/Vanitas lurched backwards. Kirux fell to the ground, coughing heavily.

He looked back up, and saw that Xion/Vanitas was holding their head, seeming to struggle on the inside.

Xion was fighting back, on the inside.

He smiled, speaking lightly, "That's my girl..."

...

...

...

After a few minutes of struggling, they let go.

"All right," Vanitas's voice came out from her. Xion's voice was completely gone, "If that's how you want to be, fine."

Kirux stood up, as he continued, "I know how I can finally break you two."

He raised her fist up, and slammed the ground, a massive wave of darkness enveloping them and Kirux.

Kirux lost his vision in the dark...

* * *

 **This chapter got split in half with the next, because I didn't want to post another one that was over six-thousand words again.** **I'll have that up in about a week or so, once I'm done editing and such.**

 **See you then. And please listen to that track!**

 **Leave a review, and I'll see you next time!**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	23. XXIII - The Nightmare Begins

**Heya. I'm back, and not a day late or a dollar sho...oh, wait. Never mind, it's been ten days...**

 **¯\\_(ツ)_/¯**

 **Anyways, here's the second half of the last one. If you don't remember, the last chapter was split into two for some important reasons. This is, of course, part two.**

 **Take it, and enjoy yourself.**

* * *

Xion's eyes opened to a dark void. Nothing new, nothing to describe. It was just a dark, black void.

"Ugh, great." She said, and tried to walk forward, but she couldn't move.

Her legs seemed to be trapped, and so were her arms. There were black pieces of either rope or wire keeping her in place, wound across her chest and around her ankles.

"Come on," she said, struggling to get herself free, but to no avail, "Let me go. I have to...help Kirux."

"You're not gonna be able to escape."

...

A person appeared in front of her, seemingly walking straight out of the darkness.

"And you won't be able to help him either, if that's what you really want."

He was the guy from Twilight Town, the one that looked exactly like Sora. He was smiling darkly at her.

His name...what was it again?

Vanitas. That's right.

...

Xion glared at him as he got close, speaking, "What are you doing here? And what is this place?"

"You're seriously asking that question?" He responded, chuckling a little bit, "Come on. You can't be that stupid?"

"Well, an endless dark void like this isn't very recognizable."

"This one should," he said, "Considering that this place...is your heart."

...

She looked around herself once again, "This is... _my_ heart?"

He nodded, "Nice, isn't it? Your heart before now had just too much light in it. Well, too much for our liking. So, we had to implant some darkness into your heart, and...well, you can see the results around you."

He continued to speak, as she looked down at the "ground," "This endless void is what has become of you. Your heart sleeps as you fall deeper and deeper into the depths of the darkness."

She looked back up then, "Then why are you here? Shouldn't you be dragging my body to Xehanort or trying to get rid of Kirux right now?"

...

His smile faded when she mentioned Kirux, "Right, Kirux. That guy. You're right, I was supposed to be dealing with him. I was supposed to kill him, to be exact. But he-,"

He looked at Xion, and she noticed the stuff on his face. The cuts, the bruises, the black eye he had on the left side of his face, "You can see that things...didn't go to plan."

"Did...he do all that..?"

He nodded, "That guy that you care for _sooooo_ much. Yeah, being with him for so long must have drained your mind on what he can really do. They didn't call him "The Soldier of Darkness" for nothing."

...

...

...

"But anyways, we're getting off track." Vanitas said, "Why am I really here, you might ask? Well, our humble host Master Xehanort couldn't be here to take over your body when your heart fell completely into the darkness. So, I have been sent here in his place, but..."

He walked even closer to her, "You, you've got a lot of fight in you. You just won't give up, and let me take over. While I may be able to control your body and mind, you just won't go away."

He was only a few inches away from her now, and was leaning in closer than she'd like. He traced her cheek with his hand, and she cringed at his touch.

"I like that about you, Xion..."

His face was directly in front of hers, only inches away.

"And because Kirux isn't here, and we're all alone..."

...

...

...

Xion was disgusted.

 _'Okay, that's enough.'_

Xion pulled her head back, then lunged forward again. Her forehead collided with his nose, and he stumbled backwards.

"I'm not gonna fall to you, Vanitas. Your tricks aren't gonna work on me."

She was gritting her teeth at him, as he wiped blood away from his nose.

When he looked back at her, there was clear rage in his eyes. Xion's anger immediately faded away.

Maybe that wasn't such a good idea.

...

"You little..." He said angrily, walking back towards her.

"Oh no..." She said to herself.

Then, his fist collided with her face. Vanitas then grabbed her throat, and brought her face back to his.

"Don't you two know when to quit?!"

She smirked at him, "I'm afraid not."

She coughed once, then spoke again, "You should know something, Vanitas. As long as I'm around, and he knows I'm still with him, Kirux will always keep fighting. The same thing goes for me. So, if you want to win...you'd have to take us both down at once."

...

...

...

He smiled, "Oh really? Then...why don't I show you something?"

He stepped aside, and put his hand out. Some sort of portal appeared, and a scene started playing.

Her jaw dropped when she saw it.

...

Kirux was there, in the projection. He was on the ground, his back against the wall. He was slumped over, as if he had just been hit by something big.

"K-Kirux..?" She whispered to herself.

She looked over at Vanitas, "What did you do to him?!"

He shook his head, "It's not what I did. It's what _you_ did."

She looked back, and saw that the image had changed. Now, she could see the person who had done whatever that was to Kirux.

And to her dismay, it was...her.

...

...

...

Xion shook her head, "No..."

"Sucks, doesn't it?"

"No no no. That wasn't me. I - I would never hurt Kirux."

"But you did," Vanitas said, "You not only hurt him, but...he hurt you too. Man, you guys must not have a balanced relationship."

He walked away, leaving Xion alone.

"And now, I'm gonna do what I was meant to do all along. You might want to watch this."

...

She regrettably did, and what she saw horrified her.

Vanitas (who was controlling her body) and pulled his Keyblade out, and...was holding it up to Kirux's throat.

He was gonna kill him...

She shook her head rapidly, "NO! Vanitas, stop!"

She struggled even harder to get free, but the dark coils wouldn't budge.

"Come on, let me go!" She yelled, still trying to get free.

Finally, after tons of struggling and fighting, the dark coils faded away, and she was free.

...

She summoned her Keyblade, and ran towards Vanitas.

"I'm not letting you do this!" She yelled, preparing to strike Vanitas.

But just as her Keyblade was about to strike him, he...grabbed it with his hand.

...

Xion's eyes widened in surprise, but still didn't back down. She tried to get it free, but he must have been holding onto it with a death grip or something, because she couldn't get her blade free.

After a lot of struggling, Vanitas pulled her Keyblade straight out of her hand. He looked it over, chuckling.

"You're weaker than I anticipated."

He tossed it away, and it faded away.

Xion clenched her fists, "I can fight without a Keyblade, you know."

Vanitas laughed, "Oh, that won't be necessary."

...

...

...

He then put his arms out, and floated into the air. Xion took a step back, as she watched darkness begin to envelop him.

"I've got an idea. How about...I destroy both you _and_ Kirux at the same time? Sound fun?"

Xion gritted her teeth.

Darkness continued to envelop Vanitas, until he started to take a new form.

There was a blast that sent her back a few feet, but didn't knock her down.

She looked back up, and Vanitas was gone. In his place was a large...thing. Some sort of disturbing creature was there, instead of Vanitas.

...

Suddenly, it roared extremely loudly. Xion was able to see a distinct symbol on its chest, the same one that had been on the Nightmares she had fought throughout her journey.

That's what it was. A dark, yet extremely powerful Nightmare.

Xion pulled her Keyblade back out, but wasn't able to do anything with it before something flew out of the darkness and wrapped itself around her wrist.

Then, one of the same things grabbed her other wrist in the same way. She tried pulling away, but to no avail.

She dropped her Keyblade, as the grips on her wrists tightened.

...

The Nightmare that was once Vanitas walked closer to her. She was able to get a better look at it now. It was similar in shape to a Neoshadow Heartless, with the body frame and glowing eyes. But the eyes here were red, and the creature was much larger than normal Neoshadows.

It looked at her intently with its large, glowing red eyes. She twisted her head away from it the best she could, but it did nothing to stop her horror.

Out of nowhere, Vanitas' voice rang out, "Like my new look? I think it's quite nice."

Xion refused to say anything, so he continued, "So now you don't feel like chatting, huh? Oh well."

...

Suddenly, the thing grabbed Xion's body, and began to crush her in it's grasp. She groaned from the immense pain, as Vanitas just laughed.

"At least now I've got the perfect weapon to taking down Kirux..."

"...You."

Darkness began to flow into her. "No," she said, "I'm not gonna...fight Kirux...for you..."

"We'll see about that, Xion."

...

Xion continued to struggle, her cries of pain only growing louder in volume. Eventually, she screamed, and the creature finally dropped her to the ground. She was unconscious by that point.

Then, the darkness formed a shell around her. That darkness formed a suit of armor around her.

Vanitas' voice rang out, one last time, "Now, it's time for this puppet to play her part..."

* * *

Kirux opened his eyes, finding himself laying in an endless dark void.

He didn't waste any time in assessing the area. He'd been in this situation before.

"Xion!" He said to himself, then stood up immediately.

He looked around, but there was no sign of her.

"Xion!" He yelled out, into the darkness, "Xion, where are you?"

...

He spun around, just trying to find anything.

Until he saw her.

She was standing alone, in the darkness, and was staring in the opposite direction.

"Xion..." He said, running towards her.

...

...

...

He continued to run, but it seemed Xion didn't know he was there, because she didn't move.

Kirux didn't let that stop him, and continued to run towards her.

He had just reached her when she turned around, but...she disappeared.

The dark void disappeared too. He was now standing in the air, in Twilight Town.

"What..?" He said to himself, then he sensed something behind him. Something extremely powerful.

He didn't want to turn around, but didn't really have a choice.

* * *

 _ **Play: Vector to the Heavens - KH 358/2 Days**_

* * *

He did turn around, and couldn't believe what he saw.

There was a massive person in a suit of armor, floating in the air just like him, wielding two long swords.

 _'That;s not...Xion, isn't it?'_ He thought to himself.

 _'No...it can't be...'_

...

Xion just sat there, waiting for Kirux to do...anything.

And as much as it hurt him to do it...he had no choice but to fight.

He looked back up, his demeanor having completely changed.

He was angry now.

 _'Don't hold back. It's not her anymore...'_

He summoned his Keyblade, and ran forward.

...

...

...

As he ran, Xion slashed at him with one of her swords. Thankfully, because of her immense size, her attacks were a lot slower. Kirux was able to dodge with ease, then jumped into the air and flew towards her.

He brought his Keyblade down to strike her, but she blocked it easily. She sent Kirux flying, but he managed to land on his feet.

Xion then put her blades together and put them up towards the sky. There was a small pulse, and then pillars of light began to appear around the area, closing in on Kirux.

He paid no attention to them, and just ran back towards Xion. That was a mistake on Kirux's part, because one appeared right in his path, and sent him flying away to the side.

He landed on the ground, rolling onto his stomach. His Keyblade clattered on the ground by his side.

Xion tried to finish him off then, and brought one of her swords up.

Kirux didn't move.

...

But...she backed off, allowing Kirux to get back up.

He picked up his Keyblade, and looked back up at her.

She struggled a little bit, at one point yelling to herself "Stop holding back!"

Kirux said nothing. He just stood there.

...

She swiped at him, and he jumped back to avoid it.

She waited for him to do something, but...he didn't.

He shook his head, "No..."

"I'm not doing this."

He dropped his Keyblade to the ground, although it didn't fade away.

...

Kirux looked back up at Xion, or...whatever she was now, "I'm not gonna fight you anymore. If you want to kill me, then do it."

One lone tear ran down his cheek, "But I've already struck you down once before, and...I'm not gonna do it again..."

Xion just floated there.

...

...

...

Then, she spoke, "Wrong choice."

She brought both her blades up to strike him down, Kirux shutting his eyes. He couldn't bear to look at what would inevitably happen.

But the strike never came.

His eyes opened back up, and Xion was struggling again.

A voice rang through his head, _"Kirux, please. You have to stop him!"_

That voice was...Xion's.

Kirux didn't hesitate to pick his Keyblade up off the ground, running back towards her.

As he ran, a glow of light surrounded it.

Kirux jumped up, just as "Xion" had stopped struggling again.

He spoke softly to himself, "I'm sorry..."

Then he swung at her hard, hearing his blade slice right through her.

...

He landed, and looked up at her.

She shook violently around, as light glowed around the area.

Suddenly, a burst of light came from her head, and she collapsed to her knees. Darkness enveloped her entire frame.

Kirux's Keyblade faded away, as he watched the whole thing happen in front of him.

Suddenly, the darkness around Xion enveloped the entire area, and he heard glass begin to shatter.

That glass shattering was the thing holding him up in the air, and it collapsed. He fell into the darkness below.

* * *

 **Aaaaaaand I need to split this into two parts as well. So what would have been one, really long chapter shall now be three, much shorter chapters. I hope you're okay with that.**

 **Sorry for the wait again, but I'll be better about it next time. Next part will be up before I go on vacation on the 28th. Trust me.**

 **Leave a review letting me know your thoughts, and I'll see you next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	24. XXIV - Nightmare's End

**Part Three. Here we go.**

 **Just a fair warning. This is the last chapter for a while. I'm not gonna have Internet access while I'm on vacation, so I won't be able to post anything until (at the earliest) April 9th. Just letting you all know beforehand that the next chapter won't be here for some time.**

 **Anyways, let's keep going.**

* * *

Kirux couldn't remember much of what happened after he fell into the darkness. He only remembered landing on a random platform in the dark, and then passing out.

He finally regained his consciousness, and stood up on the "platform." He looked around, but...there wasn't anything to look at. It was an empty, dark void.

 _'This happens way too often.'_ He said to himself.

...

Then he remembered.

Xion.

"Xion?" He yelled out into the darkness, "Xion, can you hear me?"

"SHH!"

...

He turned around, and she was standing directly behind him, literally. He jumped back in surprise.

"You cannot sneak up on me like that!" He said, whispering.

"Then keep your voice down! Or else he'll hear you..."

"He?"

"Vanitas, or really...no, it's Vanitas. But...Kirux, he's not himself anymore. He's transformed into some sort of...Nightmare, a really powerful one too."

* * *

 _ **Play: Scent of Silence - KH Re:COM**_

* * *

She put her hand over her chest, "I tried to fight back, but he...the darkness inside of him, it's too much for me to handle. When I tried to fight back, he just took my Keyblade and tossed it away like it was nothing."

Kirux shook his head, "Jeez..."

"I know. It's horrible."

"Has he done anything to you?"

She hesitated, but nodded, "Yes. He..."

...

"Xion?"

"Kirux, during that battle, when you fought...Vanitas, what was on your mind?"

"What?"

"During the fight, what were you thinking about?"

Kirux rubbed his hair, "Umm...why do you ask?"

"Just answer the question."

...

Kirux hesitated, "Well, I kept telling myself that...I shouldn't hold back, because what I thought was you was just a shell. The real you wasn't there anymore, and...I wanted so badly to get you out of there. But when he..."

"When he tricked me into thinking I had gotten you back, it...it hurt, badly."

"Kirux..." she said.

...

...

...

They both stood in silence for a while, until Kirux broke it.

"So, what do I need to do?"

"Huh?"

"To get Vanitas out of your heart. What can I do to help you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Xion, I'm not in here because I needed a break from the outside. I was brought here, and I want to find a way to break Vanitas' control."

He put his hand on her shoulder, "Tell me, Xion. What can I do to help you?"

...

She held the hand that rested on her shoulder tightly, "Kirux, I...how do I say this?"

"I feel that..." she stuttered.

"I feel like I need to do this...alone."

Kirux gasped, "What?"

"You heard me."

"What makes you think that?"

She pulled away from him, "Kirux, you've done these sorts of things for me all of the time. You did it when you saved me from Vanitas before, you did it when the Organization was controlling m-,"

"I ended up killing you then."

"Yeah, but then you brought me back. My point is...you've been like a guardian to me for so long, and I know you don't think I'm strong enough to do this."

He shook his head in protest, "That's not right at all."

"You can't fool me, Kirux. I know that you think that. If you didn't, you wouldn't have tried to jump right in and start throwing fists with Vanitas before I even had a chance to stop you."

Kirux looked down at the ground. She was right, for the most part.

...

...

...

He sighed heavily, realizing this was an argument he would never win, "Alright, you win."

"Thank yo-"

"But," he cut her off, "I'm still gonna help."

He pulled his Keyblade out, and Xion started to say, "Do you EVER listen to wha-,"

She was cut off again when he put it out in front of her to take.

"Take this," he said, "With my Keyblade's power of light and dark, and the power that you have inside of you, you just might have a chance of taking down Vanitas."

She grabbed it reluctantly, looking it over thoroughly. Then, she looked back up at him, "Are you sure about this?"

"Positive."

...

She looked back down at the Keyblade, "Kirux, I..."

Then, a loud roar interrupted her sentence.

Kirux looked around the area, "Was that..."

"Vanitas." She finished for him, "You need to leave. Now."

"Okay, but...how?"

She grabbed his collar, "Here."

"What are you-," he started, before she threw him into a portal that was conveniently behind him.

Kirux lost his vision yet again.

* * *

He woke up suddenly, staring up into a cloudy sky. He looked around, and there was actually something see.

He was back in front of Memory's Skyscraper, in the real world.

Kirux stood up, and found that Xion's body was on the ground a few feet in front of him. She was sleeping, much like she had been when they first arrived.

He walked towards her, stopping next to her. He crouched down.

She was still wearing that smile as she slept.

He smiled himself.

...

He brushed some of her hair out of her face, speaking softly, "It's up to you now, Shi. I believe in you."

Kirux stood back up, and put his hand out in front of him. His bat Spirit appeared, perching itself in his palm.

"I need you to stay with her until she wakes up," he said to it, "Come get me when she does."

The Spirit lifted itself into the air, flew around Kirux once, then perched itself on Xion's stomach. It would watch over her until she woke up.

"Thanks pal." Kirux said, before turning towards Memory Skyscraper.

He ran towards it, jumping up and running up the side of the building.

He vaulted himself over the edge, landing on top of the building. You could see the Organization's castle perfectly from up there. Kirux looked up into the sky above the castle, and felt...odd. It didn't feel the same looking up there and not seeing Kingdom Hearts. Yes, it was a good thing it was gone, but still. It didn't feel the same.

Kirux sat himself on the edge, looking out towards the Organization's stronghold.

"I hope Xion is able to do this alone..." he said to himself.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Scent of Silence - KH Re:COM**_

* * *

Xion heard him walking towards her from around the corner. His footsteps were heavy and loud, so knowing where he was wasn't an issue.

"Where are you, you little puppet?" He called out, "You failed in your performance with Kirux, and that certainly cannot go with punishment."

"Come out now, and I'll make it less painful for you."

She held Kirux's Keyblade extremely close.

"I can do this." She repeated to herself, over and over again.

...

She turned the corner, but...Vanitas wasn't there.

"What?" She said to herself.

Then, she heard him clear his throat. From directly behind her.

She turned around, and Vanitas was standing there...in human form. However, he was wearing the dark mask he had worn long ago. It was different now, because the mask now had the Nightmare symbol on the front.

"You think you're sneaky, don't you?"

Xion jumped away, pointing her new Keyblade at him, "I'm not gonna let you take control of my heart, Vanitas! I'll give you a chance to leave without having to fight, but...I think we both know that that's not gonna happen."

Vanitas laughed, "You're right about that part."

"Let me ask you something though," he said, "Do you really think that taking Kirux's Keyblade is going to help you defeat me? Especially when I'm at my strongest now?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. You want to find out?"

"Gladly."

He pulled his Keyblade out, and readied himself, "I've been looking forward to this..."

Xion readied herself to fight.

* * *

 _ **Play: The Final Antasma Battle - M &L: Dream Team**_

 **AN: I know. I know. It's not Kingdom Hearts. But it's by Yoko Shimomura, so it counts.**

* * *

Before either one of them did anything, a light barrier formed in a circle around them, ensuring that neither was gonna be able to escape.

 _'You can do this. You can do this.'_ She said to herself over and over, clutching Kirux's Keyblade tightly.

...

Vanitas was the first to do anything, forming a dark sphere around himself. After a few seconds of nothing, a shadow in his form flew out of the sphere and towards Xion. It slammed the ground, just barely missing her. Another one came from the sphere, swiping at her a few times. A third appeared, continuing to swipe at her. That cycle repeated, and suddenly Vanitas sprang out from the sphere, dashing straight towards her.

Xion swatted him away when he got close, but he landed on his feet. Vanitas then put his Keyblade in the air, a surge of darkness enveloping the blade.

He slammed the ground close to Xion, creating a massive, purple shockwave. He swung at her, missing, before striking the ground again. Then, he jumped into the air, sliced an X in the air, and launched it towards Xion.

She blocked the attack, and retaliated. She attacked Vanitas seven times in quick succession, then laid out eight more hits a lot more slowly, but they were more powerful. The last one sent Vanitas back a few feet again.

He attacked her again almost immediately, teleporting behind her and striking her from above. Then, he teleported to the side, and shot a blast of dark fire. Then he teleported away again, and struck her twice extremely quickly. Just when she thought it was over, he barraged her with bolts of dark lightning after that.

Xion slumped over, but didn't give up.

"Okay," she said, "Time to finally start using some that power Kirux's Keyblade has packing..."

...

She put it up in the air, and suddenly felt a surge of energy go through her. Suddenly, she had grown even more powerful, and she didn't even do anything.

This new power was...unfamiliar. It was a lot more extreme than the power of light, a lot more...well, powerful.

 _'The power of darkness...'_ she thought to herself.

She looked back over at Vanitas, who seemed slightly fazed, but not really.

She smiled, "Time for a test run."

...

She ran at Vanitas, but disappeared right before she could reach him. He looked around frantically, looking for where she could have gone.

Then, she suddenly reappeared behind him. He just barely managed to get his Keyblade up to defend himself, as she pressed down against him.

Vanitas gripped his blade with his second hand, "What did Kirux give you?! I've never seen power like this come from anyone but him!"

"It doesn't matter. You're not gonna win, now that I can control both light and dark."

He threw her back, scoffing, "We'll see about that."

...

He sheathed his Keyblade, then darkness began to surround him. It engulfed his body, and then there was a burst accompanied by that monstrous roar. He had morphed into his Nightmare form.

If this situation had been like earlier, she would have backed off and run away. But Xion didn't back down this time.

She wasn't going to let this...thing stop her from taking her heart back.

...

Xion began to send a barrage of dark particles towards the Nightmare, each one of them hitting some part of its body. Most of them went towards the head and chest, but some ended up hitting the arms or legs. After the initial burst, she sent out tons more, nearly all of them hitting it in the head and face.

Most of the particles sent the Nightmare reeling, but far from finished it off. It slammed the ground, causing the ground to spontaneously form waves that moved quickly towards Xion. She managed to jump over all of them fairly easily, but the Nightmare wasn't done attacking her.

It put it's hand out towards her, and something from the darkness swooped in and stole her Keyblade from right out of her hand. The power she had gained from the Keyblade was instantly drained, as she looked up at the Nightmare in horror.

Vanitas' voice rang out, "What's the matter, Xion? Too weak without your Keyblade?"

The Nightmare then lunged for her, Xion barely able to roll out of the way. The Nightmare hit the light barrier, and shattered the whole thing. Xion took that opportunity to run, hopefully to find a way to get that Keyblade back.

Unfortunately, the Nightmare was following her. It slammed the ground, causing the waves to appear again. She jumped over them all, and kept on running.

Luckily for her, right as the Nightmare was gaining up on her, the Keyblade floated right above her head. She jumped up, grabbed it, then turned back towards the Nightmare.

She pointed her blade towards it, and a burst of light hit it right in the face. She landed on the ground, and continued to run away from it.

...

She stopped running after a while, as the Nightmare stumbled to and fro from the blast of light to the face.

"Now might be my chance..." she said to herself.

She ran forward, jumped up, pointing her Keyblade in the air. A sphere of energy formed on the end.

Out of nowhere, two different blades of light appeared, and combined to make one large blade. Xion was seen holding one side, while a blurry version of Kirux held the other.

Together, the two swung the blade from side to side, slicing straight through the Nightmare each time. Finally, they swung downward once, delivering one final blow.

Kirux and the massive blade faded away, as Xion landed on the ground in front of the Nightmare. It stood up before her.

A small light formed in it's chest, until it finally burst. When the light cleared, the Nightmare was gone.

Vanitas was gone...

Xion had won...

* * *

 ** _Stop: T_** _ **he Final Antasma Battle - M &L: Dream Team**_

* * *

Xion was slumped over and breathing heavily, close to collapsing where she stood.

But...she had won...

She beat Vanitas.

...

She eventually did collapse, but held the Keyblade before her in support.

She couldn't believe that she had actually done it. She beat Vanitas, alone, without any help from Kirux.

That third part may not have been true, but she still was stunned.

...

...

...

Then, she felt tears begin to sting her eyes.

Sure, she had won the battle and got her heart back, but...

She shook her head. She shouldn't worry about that right now.

Her main focus should be getting back to the real world. That's where Kirux was waiting.

Xion regained herself, and stood up.

A Keyhole appeared in front of her.

"That should be able to get me back." She said quietly.

Xion unlocked the Keyhole, and was blinded by the light that followed.

* * *

She finally woke up, her eyes fluttering open slowly.

She tried to sit up, but couldn't thanks to a strange weight on her chest.

There was a bat Spirit sleeping there, fast asleep.

However, when she tried even harder, the Spirit immediately woke up and flew up towards the top of the skyscraper.

Xion finally could stand up, now that the Spirit had left.

...

"Where's...Kirux?" She said.

"Hey! You're finally awake."

* * *

 _ **Play: Distant From You - KH 3D: Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

She looked up, finding Kirux floating down to the ground from the top of the skyscraper. The Spirit she had seen earlier was holding him by the shoulders, carrying him down.

He landed, the bat perching itself on his shoulder.

Xion didn't say anything.

Kirux dismissed his Spirit, then walked closer towards her, "I'm glad you're okay. I don't know what I would have done if-,"

He stopped when he saw Xion's eyes, and the expression on her face.

She was...crying.

...

"Hey," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders, "What's wrong?"

She said nothing, only continuing to cry. She did, however, collapse forward into him, burying her face in his chest.

"What's gotten into you, Shi? You weren't like this before."

Xion continued to not speak, and just cried into him. Kirux did wrap his arms around her and stroked her hair lightly, trying to calm her down, but it didn't help.

...

After a few minutes, Xion finally pulled back and spoke.

"This...this isn't what I wanted..."

"Huh?"

"I wish none of this had happened. I wish we had never gone to Master Yen Sid in the first place. I wish we had never gotten involved with Organization XIII. I wish that...that..."

She stuttered terribly, but did continue, "I wish that you would have just listened to me, and...stayed in Twilight Town."

Kirux just continued to listen, not daring to interrupt, "I didn't want to come back to any of this. I didn't want to go on another journey. I - I didn't want to be separated...from you."

She looked into his eyes, "All I ever wanted...was to spend the rest of my life in peace...with you. But...that's all gone now, and now we're..."

She didn't finish her statement, and just buried her face into his chest again.

...

Kirux was left standing there, appalled by what she had just said.

He probably should be upset, but...not at her. But at _himself_.

It was him that dragged her out of Twilight Town. It was him that suggested they go to Master Yen Sid (not entirely true, but you get the point). It was his fault that they had been separated from the start of this journey.

This whole thing...was his fault.

And he knew that.

...

Kirux sighed, "I'm sorry..."

She pulled back, and he rested his forehead against hers, "I'm sorry that I did all of this. It's...it's my fault we're here, and...I could say sorry a million times, and it wouldn't be enough."

He brushed some of her tears away with his thumb, "But I promise I'll make it up to you. All of it. I swear on thatt."

...

Xion just smiled, "I know you will..."

Kirux pulled her back into him, holding her as tightly as he could. Xion returned it with just as much intensity.

They stood there like that for an eternity.

...

...

...

Eventually, Xion pulled back, and pulled out his Keyblade.

"I think you're gonna want this back."

He took it from her, "So...what now?"

"Isn't that obvious? We have to go save Sora. He's still under the Organization's control, you know."

Kirux looked over his shoulder, back towards the castle, "Right."

Then, he looked back at Xion, "Let's go."

* * *

 **Done. Now, I need to get some sleep before I sit in a car for about twelve hours in the morning.**

 **See you all in two weeks, when I return!**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	25. XXV - Ascending the Castle

**I'm back! I had a great spring break, and I hope everyone else did too (whenever it may have been.)**

 **Anyways, I did some math, and I've determined that if the last three chapters were combined into one, it would have been...8,774 words. That would have been my longest chapter ever.**

 **Oh well. Nothing we can do about it now. So let's just keep going.**

* * *

 _ **Play: Sacred Moon - KH2**_

* * *

He slumped back down against the wall of his cell. He'd been trapped for who knows how long, and every chance he had taken on escape to that point had failed.

Lea sighed, looking down at his feet.

What in the world had he gotten himself into, and was it all worth being captured like this?

He didn't know the answer to either of those questions, and that made the whole situation worse.

...

He just wished he had some company, somebody to talk to.

It was times like these that made him really miss Roxas, Xion, and Kirux.

He wished that they were all with him right now. Of course, not under these current circumstances, but still.

Having his friends at his side would make his current predicament a whole lot better.

...

Lea was taken out of his thoughts by voices outside of his cell. He got up and walked over, placing one of his hands against the bars.

"Did she really escape? How is that even possible?"

There were three figures gathered a few feet away. One of them was a girl with long, dark red hair. The other was a person in a dark helmet. The third was the one that had captured him.

Isa, or Saïx.

...

The one in the mask crossed his arms over his chest, "She had a little help from Kirux..."

Lea gasped lightly. Kirux was here? And if they were saying "she," did she mean Xion?

"Those little pests..." the masked one said, "I wish I could just...go and crush them like-,"

"Enough," Saïx interrupted, "You already tried to do that, and failed. You wearing that mask shows it..."

"You little..." he went to move towards Saïx, but the girl stopped him.

"Calm down, Vanitas. We're on the same side."

Vanitas pulled his arm away, only grunting in response.

...

The girl sighed, speaking to him again, "Are Xion and Kirux on their way here now?"

Vanitas shrugged, "They should be. They're probably already here, going after either Sora,"

He pointed towards Lea's cell, "Or that guy."

Saïx shook his head, "It'll be the former. Those two do not know about Lea's presence, or at least...they shouldn't."

"They didn't here it from me."

The girl shook her head, "I didn't mention it to Kirux when I encountered him."

"Well, then they'll definitely be after Sora."

...

"So, what can we do?"

Saïx looked down at her, "You two will do nothing."

The girl seemed upset, "But why? What's the point of having thirteen members if only six of us are ever going to do anything?"

"Vanitas has already done enough. He's got the scars to prove it. But you...you disobeyed orders, attacked Kirux, and got yourself injured in the process."

"My hand is fine..."

"But your loyalty isn't. If you asked me, Master Xehanort should just get rid of you. We'll find someone better to fill your shoes."

The girl looked down at the ground, defeated. Vanitas didn't respond.

...

Saïx walked away, speaking as he did, "You two stay out of the way. Let the rest of us deal with Kirux and Xion."

Vanitas walked off with him, leaving the girl alone.

Well, not completely alone.

"Psst!"

...

She looked up. The sound was coming from the cell, where that Lea guy was being held.

She walked over, finding Lea standing at the bars.

"Hey, kid! Think you could lend me a hand?"

She took a step back, "Umm...Saïx says I'm not supposed to talk with you."

"He says a lot of things, but I never listened to him. Well, mostly never."

"What do you even want, Lea?"

"I want you...to help me escape. You see..."

She shook her head, "No way. I'm not gonna have the Master get on me for disobeying orders again. If I do, he'll destroy me."

...

Lea sighed, "Listen kid. I don't know who you are or where you came from, but you've got to help me. Those guys you were talking about, Kirux and Xion, they're my friends."

He knew she was listening, so he continued, "Come on. What does this Xehanort guy have to give you anyway? I can clearly tell you don't like him."

The girl looked down, not responding initially.

...

Then, she sighed, "All right. I'll help you."

Lea smiled, "Thanks ki-,"

"But," she said, "You cannot tell ANYBODY how you got out of here. If you do, I will hunt you down and take you out myself. Do we have a deal?"

"Absolutely. Now help me get out of this cell."

The girl pulled her Keyblade out, and used it to unlock the cell. Lea stepped out, looking back at her.

"Thanks again, kid."

She let her Keyblade fade away, "My name's Skylar, but you can call me Sky."

"Okay then, Sky."

...

He went to leave, but Sky stopped him.

"Wait. One more thing."

He turned back, "What?"

She put her hand out towards him, a pulse coming from her palm. Lea felt something rise within him, and something appear in his hand.

When he looked down, his very own Keyblade was there.

Sky spoke as he looked it over, "I noticed that power lingering in your heart, and it appeared you couldn't summon it. I simply made it easier for you."

Lea smiled, "Wow. You're full of surprises."

She just waved her hand, "Whatever. Just get out of here, before someone finds out I let you escape."

Lea nodded, "Thanks again, Sky."

Then, he ran off, leaving Sky by herself.

"I've gotta help Xion and Kirux," he said to himself, "But first, I've gotta find them."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Sacred Moon - KH2**_

 _ **Play: Sacred Distance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

 _ **Fifteen minutes earlier...**_

He was staring at the castle when her footsteps approached from behind.

"It's about time," he said, turning back towards her, "You good to go now?"

"Yeah. I'm fine now."

"Are you sure? I don't want to go in there and have yo-,"

""-And have you collapse on me,"" she finished for him, "Kirux, I'm fine. Believe me."

Kirux frowned, "I just don't want to take any risks."

...

Xion walked up next to him, "Oh please. As if trying to go through the Organization's castle without being detected isn't risky enough."

Kirux looked back at the castle, "Well, you've got me there."

They lapsed into silence for a moment, listening to the wind howl.

Kirux spoke up, "Do you really think Sora is up there?"

Xion nodded, "He has to be. I can't think of anywhere else he would go, other than up there."

"He could be in one of the Sleeping Worlds."

"It's possible, but," she looked over at him, "This is most likely place he'd be."

...

Kirux's arms fell to his sides, looking at her, "Okay, just one question."

He pointed over to the castle, "How in the world do we get across?"

She looked over, at the emptiness that stood between them and the castle.

"That's...a good question. I have no idea."

Kirux sighed, "Well, that's great to hear."

"You got any ideas, wise guy?"

...

Kirux looked back over at the castle, thinking for a minute.

He looked closely, and saw something bouncing around at the castles entrance.

It was...a Dream Eater?

Kirux gasped, pointing at it, "Look!"

Xion looked over, and found it after a few seconds, "Hey! It's a Dream Eater!"

"They're showing us the way to Sora."

"But still, how do we get across?"

...

Just then, Kirux's bat Spirit appeared, and perched itself on his shoulder. It moved like it was trying to tell them something.

"What's he saying?" Xion said, Kirux not responding.

He looked back over at the castle, thinking.

"Right," he said, smiling, "I get it."

"Get what?"

"The Spirits...they're all connected."

Kirux pulled out his Keyblade, and pointed it out towards the castle. Light began to shine at the end, and a beam of light shot out towards the castle.

There was a small flash, and a rail appeared right at the edge of land straight towards the castle.

"All we have to do is follow their connection, and it'll lead us straight to Sora."

Xion looked at the rail, then smiled and looked back at Kirux, "Okay then. Let's go."

She hopped on to the rail first, Kirux following behind her.

...

...

...

She jumped off the rail, landing on the white platform of the Organization's castle. Kirux landed to her right, his Spirit flying down next to him.

The Spirit they had seen earlier ran over to them, stopping right in front of Xion. It's expression showed that it was ecstatic to see them.

Xion smiled, rubbing its head lightly, "Do you know how to get to Sora?"

The Spirit bounced around, then turned and led them away. Kirux's bat flew off with it.

Xion turned to him, "Come on, let's go."

...

They didn't get very far before encountering someone.

"We don't allow outside visitors."

They looked up, and saw Xehanort (the younger one) standing on a platform above them. He had a blank, semi-angry expression on his face.

"Sorry to break in," Kirux said, "But you took someone that belongs to us, and we want him back."

"You must be referring to Sora. I'm dearly sorry, but he'd much rather stay here than go with you two."

"Did Sora say that himself?" Xion said.

"I think you already know, Xion. It should have been obvious why he continuously ran from you."

Xion's face scrunched up in anger, as did Kirux's.

...

Xehanort spoke again, "If you won't leave on your own accord, I'll have to force someone to make you leave. And none of us want that, now do we?"

He smiled, but Kirux and Xion didn't back down.

"We're not going anywhere! Not without Sora!" Kirux yelled at him.

"Yeah! He's our friend, and friends don't leave one another behind! I don't expect you to know that!"

"Oh, I know plenty about having friends. In fact, let me introduce you to some of them."

He put his hand out, and a circle of Nightmares appeared around them. The two of them instinctively pulled out their Keyblades, and attacking the Nightmares.

Xehanort laughed, "You two can continue to fight, but it won't get you anywhere. You'll both fall into the dark soon enough."

...

Kirux swatted a Nightmare away, looking back up at Xehanort, only to find that he wasn't there.

"Hey, where did he go?" He said, hearing Xion walk up next to him.

"He must have left while we were fighting."

Their Keyblades faded away, Kirux crossing his arms over his chest, "Well, that's no way to treat guests."

Xion smiled, "I'm pretty sure we're unwanted guests."

"But guests nonetheless," he smiled back, then waved her along, "Come on, let's keep going."

She followed directly behind him, as they ventured further into the castle.

...

...

...

"Man, does this all bring back memories." He said, as they went up the staircase.

"Yeah. Not all good ones, but not all bad either."

"What was one thing that you actually liked about this place?"

She thought about it for a little before responding, "Well, there wasn't a whole lot. But the few I can think of were pretty significant."

"All right. What were they?"

...

She stopped for a second, Kirux turning back to her.

"Three things. One, the design of the place is actually...kind of cool."

He smiled, "Okay, I'll give you that."

"Two. It gave us a roof over our heads, which none of us had outside of the Organization."

"Well, not none of us."

"Oh, right. You were the lucky one."

"Just keep going."

Xion giggled, then continued, "Three. The people here...weren't all that bad."

Kirux crossed his arms over his chest, "Really? You really think that?"

"Yes, I really do."

"Give me some examples."

"Well, there was obviously you, Axel and Roxas. But to be honest, Demyx was always a nice guy."

Kirux slid his hands into his coat pockets, "You're right about that."

"Yeah. I'm not proud of the fact that I was the one that took him out..."

She looked down, Kirux speaking to her, "Xion...you did what you had to do. Demyx was a good guy, I'll give him that. But he wasn't a _good_ guy, you know what I mean?"

"Sort of..."

"What I'm trying to say is that even though he wasn't a complete jerk, he was still the enemy. I mean...he tried to kill you, after all. If you ask me, I say it was self defense."

Xion sighed, "I..I guess..."

Kirux walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Don't let guilt weigh you down. You did what you had to do."

Xion said nothing.

...

Eventually, Kirux spoke to her, "Come on, we're about half way to the top of the castle."

"Okay..."

The two of them walked off.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Sacred Distance - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

The two of them entered the hall, the "Hall of Empty Melodies."

Kirux stopped when they reached the center platform, and put his arm in front of Xion to stop her.

"Is something wrong?"

"Yes. Someone is watching us."

Xion looked around, then back at Kirux, "Ki, there's no one here."

"There is. I just don't know where."

...

She shook her head, "You worry too much."

She pushed past him, walking towards the center of the room.

"Xion, don't!" He said, but she didn't listen.

"Come on. There's nothi-,"

* * *

 ** _Play: Organization XIII - KH2_**

* * *

She heard a gunshot, and turned towards where it came from.

The bullet was heading right for, but Kirux luckily pulled her back just in time. It landed in the ground, disintegrating.

"I told you." Kirux said.

"Shut up."

...

Suddenly, Xigbar floated down in front of them. And he wasn't alone, three others appeared at his sides.

"Xigbar?!" Kirux yelled, "What are you doing here?!"

His guns faded away, not speaking. The other figures did not move nor speak.

...

The Xehanort they had encountered earlier appeared between the group.

"I told you I'd have to get someone to make you leave."

Neither responded, just glaring at him and the group.

...

"It's time you two left. There's nothing for you here." Xehanort said, walking closer to them.

Xion pulled her Keyblade out, and pointed it at him, "We told you! We're not leaving without Sora! Now get out of our way!"

"I've already told you. Sora will not be returning with you. He's ours now."

"Not if we can help it!"

...

She ran at him, swinging at him from below.

Seemingly out of nowhere, he blocked her attack with his own Keyblade. She struggled, and was sent back a bit.

Xehanort shook his head, "So it's a fight you want...so be it."

He raised his Keyblade up high, as a circle formed around him and Xion.

"Xion!" Kirux yelled, running towards her, but he ran right into the circle and was stopped in his tracks.

Xion and Xehanort disappeared, leaving Kirux alone with Xigbar and the others.

...

He stood back up, and started walking forward, but Xigbar pulled one of his guns out and pointed it right at him.

"One more step, and you're toast. I don't think Poppet would like that very much."

"She's not a puppet! Her name is Xion!"

"Still so blind, I see." The one to Xigbar's left said.

Kirux recognized the voice.

 _'Wait a second...'_

...

Kirux looked at him, as he removed his hood.

He was stunned, "L-Luxord?! But-,"

"He's not the only one."

The other two removed their hoods, and he couldn't believe it.

One of them he recognized, the other he did not.

"Demyx! And...who are you?"

The one he didn't recognize was a woman. She had had bright blonde hair, with two strands styled upward to look like antennae.

"Her?" Xigbar said, "She's Larxene. She was part of the team that was eliminated at Castle Oblivion, before you joined."

"Okay, but...how is she here now? How are ALL of you here now?"

...

Xigbar pulled his second gun out, "That is something you'll never learn."

Demyx pulled out his sitar, Luxord his cards, and Larxene two sets of throwing knives.

Kirux took a step back, but a barrier of light formed, preventing his escape.

He thought to himself, _'Seriously? Four on one? That's fair.'_

...

His fist clenched, and he pulled his Keyblade out.

 _'This won't be easy. But...I have to try."_

Luxord, Demyx, and Larxene converged on him, while Xigbar loaded his two guns.

Kirux prepared himself.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Organization XIII - KH2**_

 _ **Play: L'Impeto Oscuro - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

The area around Xion finally gained light, and she was no longer in the castle.

Instead, she had been teleported to a new arena. One that looked like some kind of giant clock.

Xehanort stood a few feet in front of her, and prepared himself to fight.

Xion did the same.

...

...

...

Xion made the first move, but it didn't do anything. Right as her blade was going to make contact, Xehanort moved to his right, out of the way. When he did, it looked like he was teleporting.

He did this about four times before finally attacking her. The combo he used was fast, and in between attacks, he'd teleport to a different side of her. Xion wasn't able to defend herself from these attacks, and they did quite a number on her.

But while the attacks hurt her quite a bit, they weren't enough to take her down.

She retaliated with a barrage of any type of magic she could conjure up. Fire, ice, thunder, even some balloons that seemed to do a lot of damage. Xehanort was weakened, but not defeated.

He tried more of the combos on her, but Xion had gotten his timing down, and was able to block and counterattack.

She knocked him back, into the center of the arena.

Xehanort countered her counterattack, his Keyblade turning into a whip, him swinging it towards Xion. It hit her once, sending her flying backwards.

Her back slammed against the wall, her Keyblade falling limply out of her hand.

"Even after so long, and going through this whole journey...you still cannot put up a decent fight." Xehanort said as he walked towards her.

Xion gritted her teeth in anger. She grabbed her Keyblade, and stood back up, but had to use the blade as support.

...

Xehanort pulled his Keyblade back, speaking, "This is goodbye, Xion."

He swung, but just as his blade got to her, she disappeared.

"What?"

She reappeared behind him, in a strange aura. A _dark_ one...

"But," Xehanort said in awe, "That's...Kirux's power..."

Xion smiled, "It's not his. It's ours. Kirux's power is mine, and mine is his."

She pointed her Keyblade at him, "You've tried to sever our connection time and time again, but...all you've done is make it grow stronger. So I can use his power, and he can use mine."

Xehanort looked at her in anger, and went to attack her. She merely sidestepped, and he went flying past her.

"Too slow." She said, and teleported away.

Xehanort got back up, but immediately was knocked to the side by Xion, who reappeared to his left.

She continued to knock him around, Xehanort not being able to do anything to stop her.

Finally, she knocked him into the air, then slammed him into the ground. He landed roughly, his Keyblade falling to the ground.

Xion floated back to the ground, the dark aura fading.

The area began to wobble and morph, and suddenly went all black.

* * *

 _ **Stop:**_ ** _L'Impeto Oscuro - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance_**

 ** _Play: Sinister Shadows - KH2_**

* * *

Larxene and Demyx both jumped at Kirux, who rolled underneath them towards Luxord. He went some of his cards towards him, but Kirux flipped over them and kept running.

Xigbar fired some shots at him, so Kirux very quickly turned and ran to his left.

"Quit running, you coward!" Xigbar yelled.

Kirux yelled back, "Then catch me!"

Xigbar just continued to shoot at Kirux, who dodged all of his shots, even deflecting some of them towards the others.

...

Demyx tried to stop Kirux using his water pillars, but it didn't work. Kirux simply cut through them, and attacked Demyx.

Demyx blocked most of his attacks with his sitar, but Kirux managed to get two good strikes on him.

While he was occupied with Demyx, Larxene attacked him from behind. Kirux rolled to his right, dodging all of her swipes with her knives.

He managed to grab her wrist, and darkness formed around his hand. Larxene yelled out in pain, her knives falling to the ground. Kirux released her wrist, then kicked her towards Xigbar.

Xigbar gritted his teeth in anger, and combined his guns into one. He aimed at Kirux, who stood alone to his right.

Kirux jumped over the shot, and managed to dodge all of the other shots in the air.

He landed in front of Luxord, who sent more cards towards him. Kirux either dodged them, swatted them away, or caught them in the air and threw them back.

After the card barrage, Kirux went after him. He struck Luxord over and over again, and when he was too weak to fight back, he kicked him over towards Xigbar as well.

...

Xigbar jumped over Luxord, towards Kirux. He fired towards Kirux while in the air, but he still couldn't hit him. Kirux was too fast.

Meanwhile, Demyx had recovered from Kirux's earlier attack, and went back on the offensive.

He used more water pillars to surround Kirux, and had them start to converge on him.

Kirux simply smiled at this.

A burst of energy came from him, and a glow of light surrounded him, as well as his Keyblade.

Much like Xion had used his power, now he was using hers.

...

He swung around in a circle, cutting through and dispersing the water pillars. He looked up at Demyx, and went straight towards him.

Demyx could only cower in fear as Kirux got closer. He used his sitar to defend himself, but Kirux just grabbed his sitar and threw it away.

Kirux smiled at him.

Demyx joined Larxene and Luxord on the floor.

...

Xigbar yelled at him, "You little!"

He continuously fired at Kirux, but Kirux dodged all of the shots.

Kirux jumped up and started running along the walls, Xigbar continuing to fire at him. Not a single one of his shots hit him.

Kirux then jumped towards Xigbar, and the area seemed to turn slow motion.

He kicked his gun(s) away, and slashed with his Keyblade, striking Xigbar in the face.

Xigbar stumbled backward, and Kirux knocked him down with one last kick.

Kirux landed back in his original spot, and the glow of light faded away.

The four Organization members remained on the floor, defeated.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Sinister Shadows - KH2**_

* * *

Xigbar looked up at Kirux, struggling to hold himself up.

"It's...hopeless..." he said, "You can't...save him..."

Kirux scoffed, "I bet you all thought I couldn't beat you, and look what happened. You guys didn't even lay a single hit on me."

Xigbar shook his head, slamming his fist against the ground. Larxene, Demyx, and Luxord were pulled into the ground, along with Xigbar.

Kirux stood there, his Keyblade fading away.

...

Suddenly, Xion reappeared behind him.

She ran up to him, "Hey, are you okay?"

Kirux turned back to her, nodding, "I'm fine. You?"

"Likewise."

She noticed that he was now alone, "Where did everyone else go?"

Kirux smiled, "They...had other places to be."

Xion was confused, but just shook her head.

"Anyway, come on. We have to keep going."

Kirux nodded, "After you."

* * *

 **There we go. Hope you enjoyed.**

 **Leave me a review, telling me your thoughts!**

 **Until next time!**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	26. XXVI - Adventure's End

**Hiya.**

 **That last one was crazy, huh? So much stuff happened, it seemed like a lot to keep track of.**

 **This one won't be nearly as crazy. Or will it?**

 **Read on to find out.**

* * *

 _ **Play: Organization XIII - KH2**_

* * *

Kirux ran up the stairs, finding himself at the Altar of Naught. Xion ran up right behind him.

A man they knew all too well stood at the top.

Saïx. The one Organization member they had despised (other than Vanitas, for Kirux).

...

Kirux was the first to speak, "Man, I'm not even gonna ask anymore."

Saïx responded, "It's good to see you too, Kirux."

"You say that like we were friends or something."

"He's just messing with you. Don't let him get into your head." Xion whispered to him.

"I know."

...

Saïx spoke again, "I assume you two are here for Sora. Am I correct?"

"Yeah, that's right. Now you're gonna tell us where he is." Xion responded.

"Well, if you're that concerned, he's not here."

"Then tell us where he is. He's coming back with us, whether you like it or not."

"Oh, that won't be happening. I can assure y-,"

...

Suddenly, he stopped. He put a hand up to his head.

"You want me to what? But Master, they're..."

Xion and Kirux back down, both of them confused.

Xion looked over at Kirux, "What's up with him?"

Kirux shrugged.

...

Saïx let his hand fall to his side, looking down at the ground.

After a few seconds, he looked back up at Xion and Kirux, "It appears...that the Master himself wants to speak with you two."

"What?" They said simultaneously.

Saïx stepped to the side, putting his arm out. A dark portal appeared.

"He will be seeing you now. Go forth, and don't keep him waiting."

Kirux took a step forward, "Why should we trust you or your "Master"?"

Xion grabbed his arm, "Kirux, wait. Maybe we should trust him."

He looked at her, "Are you crazy? It's obviously a-,"

"I know. It might be. But...this could be our best chance of getting to Sora. So, come on."

Kirux wanted to protest, but he knew that she was right.

"Just one question," Kirux said, " _Why_ is it that your master wants to speak to us?"

"I do not have answers. He will. Now, I told you to not keep him waiting."

Kirux just glared at him in response.

...

Xion grabbed his arm, and pulled Kirux towards the portal. When she got next to Saïx, she spoke to him softly.

"We'll be back for you later."

"I'll be looking forward to it."

Xion and Kirux walked through the portal, leaving Saïx alone.

But not for long.

...

...

...

He heard someone running up the stairs towards him.

The last person he expected to see was Lea. And the last thing he expected him to be holding was a Keyblade.

"Isa!" He yelled when he reached the top. He stopped a few feet away from him.

"How did you escape?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Doesn't matter...or did you promise to not tell?"

Lea said nothing in response.

"Kaze..." Saïx snarled under his breath, clenching his fist.

...

"Isa," Lea said, "Where are Kirux and Xion? I know they're here, so tell me where they are."

Saïx scoffed, "It's always about them, isn't it?"

"Huh?"

"You just missed them. The Master wanted to see them...personally."

"Don't you worry. He'll take very good care your precious toys. I'm sure he won't try to break them...much."

He chuckled, and went to teleport away.

"Wait! Isa!" But Lea was too late.

Saïx was gone.

Xion and Kirux were both gone.

And Lea was left alone again...

...

He sighed, "Better try and find a way to get back to the Master..."

He looked down at his Keyblade, "Maybe this can help me, in some way."

He left.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Organization XIII - KH2**_

* * *

Xion stepped out of the portal, feeling the wind hit her face immediately. Kirux stepped out right behind her.

Both of them looked around, finding nothing.

They were in some sort of rocky desert. A barren, rocky desert. There was nothing around them, except for a tall wall of a different high cliff.

"Wait a second..." Kirux said.

Xion turned back to him, "What is it?"

"I...remember this place..." he said, putting a hand to his chest, "It all feels...familiar."

"Must be from those memories." She responded.

"Maybe."

...

"Anyways," Kirux said, "Where are Xehanort and Sora?"

Xion walked over to the edge, looking out at the horizon. There was nothing for miles and miles, but there were craters scattered across the land.

"I'm not sure," she said, looking into the cloudy sky, "But...this place gives me the creeps."

"Same here."

Kirux looked towards the winding path, "I guess the only thing we can do is follow this path."

Xion nodded, "Well, then let's go."

They walked off.

* * *

 **Entered New World: Keyblade Graveyard**

* * *

 _ **Play: Keyblade Graveyard Horizons - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Xion and Kirux walked for forever, not finding anything in the massive wasteland.

At one point, Kirux stopped and asked, "Man, what happened at this place?"

"I have no idea," Xion responded, "Whatever it was, I'm sure it wasn't any good for the people that endured it."

Kirux shrugged, and started walking again.

...

 _"You two really don't know what happened here?"_ Kirux heard Terra say in his head.

 _'You have to understand, Terra. We're not exactly...knowledgeable of what happened before Sora's first journey. We weren't around until after then.'_

 _"What do you mean by that?"_

 _'Doesn't matter. Just tell me what happened.'_

 _"Well, here's the short version. It was said that long ago, in some time called the "Age of fairy tales", there was a great battle in these lands. They called it the-,"_

...

Xion called to him from ahead, "Kirux?"

"Yeah?"

"You...might want to come see this..."

Kirux walked up next to her, right on the edge of where they were standing.

"What's up?" He said.

Her eyes were filled with horror, as she pointed out to the horizon.

Kirux looked over, and...the same expression found itself on his face.

...

...

...

In the lands below, there were Keyblades. Thousands, maybe millions, of them. They were all wedge into the land like blades of grass in the dirt. They seemed to stretch for miles and miles.

 _"The Keyblade War..."_ Terra said in Kirux's head.

Neither had any words. They just...stared.

Stared into all of the...just, all of it.

...

"Is this," Xion said, "What could happen to us?"

"What?" He looked at her.

"If we fail to save Sora, will we...end up just like this?"

"Xion..."

She looked down, "All of those people..."

"Hey," he said, bringing her eyes up to his, "We're not gonna end up like them. We will save Sora. Together. Okay?"

Xion didn't say anything, only nodding in response.

They both looked back out to the horizon, not speaking. Xion did, however, reach out and grab Kirux's hand, squeezing it firmly.

Kirux held her hand just as firmly in response.

...

...

...

Eventually, Kirux broke the silence, "We should get going."

"Yeah..."

Kirux released her hand, and walked towards their left, "This pathway should lead us to somewhere..."

"Any idea where that somewhere is?"

"Not a clue. But," he said, turning back towards Xion, "I got a hunch it will lead us to Sora."

"Well," she responded, "I'm following you."

Kirux walked down the path, Xion following closely behind.

...

...

...

The path they had taken them led them straight to the field with the Keyblades. There was a pathway formed through the blades, meeting another after a while and forming a crossroad.

The two of them stopped right when they were in the center of said crossroad.

When Kirux had stopped ahead of her, Xion spoke, "Something wrong?"

"Yeah..." he responded, "This feels...familiar again..."

Images started flashing in his head. More memories.

One of them was of Terra, a woman with blue hair, and a boy that looked exactly like Roxas.

 _'Hey...wait a second.'_

 _'Isn't that...Ven?'_

Kirux heard Terra speak in his head, _"You know Ven?"_

 _'Yeah. I've met him. He's a-'_

"Kirux." Xion said, knocking him out of his thoughts.

She was pointing down one of the pathways, and sure enough...a figure was walking towards them.

Correction: There were TWO figures walking towards them.

...

When they got closer, one of them was revealed to be an old man in a black and grey coat, hunched over with his hands behind his back. The other was a normal person in the Organization's black coat. The walked closer to Xion and Kirux before finally stopping.

"Who are they?" Xion whispered to Kirux.

"Xehanort. THE Xehanort. The other one...I'm not sure."

Xehanort and the figure in black remained silent, and so did Xion and Kirux. The only sound that could be heard was the wind and the rustling of keychains.

...

After about a minute of silence, Xehanort put his hand out towards the Keyblades, "Behold...These lifeless keys used to be full of power - united with the hearts of their masters. On this barren soil, Keyblades of light and darkness were locked in combat...as a great Keyblade War raged. Countless Keyblade wielders gave up their lives, all in search of one, ultimate key..."

"And now, it belongs to me..."

He looked over to the one in black, who put his hand up in the air. Out of nowhere, an odd looking Keyblade appeared in his/her hand.

"Behold! The χ-blade!" Xehanort yelled.

Xion and Kirux both gasped.

...

 _"Oh no..."_ Terra said.

 _'What? What's wrong?'_

 _"Kirux, you need to destroy that Keyblade."_

 _'Why? What does Xehanort plan to do with it?'_

 _"That Keyblade is the only thing that can summon the door to Kingdom Hearts. If you don't destroy it...then there's no telling what he'll do!"_

 _'Okay, what are we supposed to do?'_

 _"Doesn't matter! Just destroy that Keyblade by any means necessary."_

...

"What do you plan on doing, Xehanort?" Kirux yelled.

"It does not matter, boy." He responded, "You won't be able to stop me."

"We can stop you!" Xion yelled, "After coming this far, there's no way we're gonna let any of...whatever you're doing happen!"

"Really? Even if it meant...hurting your own friend?"

He pulled the hood off of the guy in black, and the face they saw shocked them.

"Sora!" They both yelled simultaneously.

His face was blank. He showed no emotion, no feeling.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Keyblade Graveyard Horizons - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

"Now, I asked Saïx to bring you here for a reason." Xehanort started.

"Despite what you both may have heard about me, I am a reasonable man. I am willing to give you both an opportunity to walk away, and leave this."

He looked to his left side, towards the Keyblades, "I don't want you both to join these poor souls, fighting for a cause...that gained them nothing in the end."

"So," Xehanort looked back at Kirux and Xion, "What's it going to be? Are you going to fight and die here? Or will you walk away from it all?"

Neither Kirux nor Xion responded.

The only sound in the air was the howling of the wind.

* * *

 _ **Play: Adventure's End - M &L: Dream Team**_

 **A/N: Another non-Kingdom Hearts song. Please don't kill me.**

* * *

After a few minutes of silence, Kirux put his hand out, his Keyblade appearing in his hand.

"Kirux?" Xion said to him.

Xehanort smiled.

"I know what to do..." he said.

"Kirux, wait," she said, grabbing his outstretched arm, "Maybe we should think about this."

"There's nothing to think about. I know what we've got to do..."

"We have to destroy that Keyblade."

Kirux pulled his arm away, and ran towards Xehanort and Sora.

"Kirux!"

...

 _"You ready for this? This won't be easy for you."_

 _'I'll be fine. Don't worry. I've got this.'_

 _"Okay. Good luck."_

...

Kirux jumped up to strike Xehanort and Sora, but they both vanished while he was in the air.

"What?"

Suddenly, Sora reappeared behind Kirux, and slammed him down into the ground.

Kirux rolled away when Sora flew down to stab him. He remained on one knee then, still recovering from being slammed into the ground.

Sora started forming some sort of dark energy in his hand, and sent it flying towards Kirux.

Kirux wouldn't have been able to dodge it, even if he was at full strength. The blast was moving too fast.

He braced for impact, but it never came.

When he looked back up, Xion was standing in front of him, Keyblade in hand.

She looked back at him, "Why do you always throw yourself into these kind of situations?"

"Sorry..."

Sora attacked Xion, swiping at her with his Keyblade. She parried his attacks, and sent him back a few feet.

Xehanort reappeared behind Sora, "So, you two choose to fight..."

He smiled, "Fine then. Sora will teach you fear, then pain. And after that, well...at least the fear and pain will end..."

He disappeared, leaving Xion and Kirux alone with Sora.

Kirux and Xion stood firmly, as Sora grabbed his blade with two hands and ran towards them.

...

...

...

Sora was relentless with his attacks, no matter what they were or who they were directed towards. He attacked constantly, never giving Xion and Kirux any chance to recover and take a break.

At one point, Sora shot a blast of ice towards Kirux, and it ended up freezing his left arm entirely. As Kirux was trying to get his arm free, Sora kept attacking him too. Kirux was lucky he was able to parry his attacks, and that Xion had attacked him from behind.

Kirux was finally able to get his arm free, Xion kept pressing her attack. She used whatever she could muster, but Sora seemed to be able to stop anything they threw at him.

Being under Xehanort's control made him even more powerful than he already was.

...

After that, Sora used his magic to make a massive wind tunnel, and it was able to pick up Keyblades from the ground and suck them in. Sora was then able to jump onto it and ride it like it was a surfboard.

Kirux looked over at Xion, "Run!"

She didn't object, and started sprinting away, as did Kirux. Sora, unsurprisingly, chased after them.

He continued to barrage them with magic as he road the wind and the Keyblades. Blasts of dark fire, ice, and pure dark energy were constantly sent flying towards Kirux and Xion.

One of his blasts even managed to hit the ground directly in front of Xion, and it sent her flying through the air. Kirux was fortunately able to get underneath her, and catch her before she could hit the ground.

"You okay?" He asked, lowering her back to the ground.

"I'm fine."

They both looked up, and saw that Sora was standing on the edge of a tall cliff above them.

"Let's go." Kirux said, jumping up and running along the wall. Xion followed right after him.

...

...

...

When they both reached the top, Sora had moved to the center of the plateau.

"This is it, Xehanort!" Kirux yelled, "No more running! It's us and you!"

"There's nowhere for you to go! So this is your last chance to give us Sora, or else!"

Sora/Xehanort smiled, and spoke, "If this is how it has to end...then so be it..."

He prepared himself to fight, as did Xion and Kirux.

...

...

...

Kirux and Xion both ran towards him, Kirux attacking first. He stabbed at Xehanort, while Xion attacked from above. Sora was able to dodge and parry all of their attacks. They couldn't land a single hit on him.

Sora then grabbed his blade with both hands, and swung hard. A gust of wind came, and blew Xion and Kirux back a few feet.

Kirux was able to stop himself with his Keyblade, leaving a path in the rock and dirt from where he had slid back. Xion rolled back, sitting up lightly.

Sora/Xehanort laughed, "Really? That's all you can do? You two are pathetic."

"It's no use," Xion said, "We can't beat him. We've tried everything."

"Not everything..." Kirux responded.

"Huh?"

Kirux stood up, and began to charge up dark energy around him. It burst, and he was surrounded in a dark aura.

"Kirux, wait..." Xion started, but she was too late. Kirux was already advancing towards Sora.

Sora simply grinned, and pulled his Keyblade back.

Kirux swung at him, and Sora did the same. Their blades clashed.

...

Kirux may have used his dark powers, but he was still not able to hold back.

He started to lose strength, and so did his Keyblade.

The pressure caused his blade to start cracking.

Kirux gasped, "What?!"

Then, his blade gave way, and it shattered in half.

Sora struck Kirux from below, and he was sent flying backwards. He landed on his back, a few feet away from Xion.

The lower half of his broken Keyblade fell from his hand.

"Kirux!" Xion said, scrambling over to him. She reached his side, and shook him lightly.

"Come on, wake up! You have to! Kirux, please!"

He didn't move or respond.

"Kirux...please..." she said, grabbing his hand and clutching it tightly, "I can't do this without you..."

...

Sora laughed, "What's wrong, Xion? Too weak to fight your own battles?"

Xion ignored him, keeping her attention focused on Kirux.

"Kirux..." she whispered, holding her hands (with his still in her grasp) up to her chest, "Please...lend me your strength..."

...

Out of nowhere, her own Keyblade began to glow in light.

She looked at it, then back at Kirux, then back to her blade.

Then, she looked towards Sora, and her face scrunched up in anger.

...

She grabbed her blade, and ran towards him.

Sora grinned, "You're just wasting your time."

He raised his blade, and swung down towards her. Xion swung up at him, and their blades collided. A burst came from their blades when they made contact.

Xion struggled at first to hold him back, but...she could feel it.

This strength began to rush through her. And pretty soon...she started to push back.

With one hard shove, she was able to knock Sora off balance, and his blade shattered.

"What?" He said when shards of the blade came off, him stumbling backwards.

Xion pushed one more time, and knocked Sora onto his back, the blade floating in the air.

Light energy began to illuminate from it, and after a while...it burst.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Adventure's End - M &L: Dream Team**_

* * *

That burst was enough to get Kirux to awaken, and he looked up to see what was going on.

He saw the pillars and waves of light coming from Sora's Keyblade, Sora unconscious on the ground, and Xion struggling to get to him because of the wind.

He immediately got up, and ran over. Once he got close to the area though, he was slowed to almost a halt thanks to the extreme winds.

Meanwhile, Xion was trying to reach out and grab Sora, while protecting her face from the wind.

"I...have to...help him..." she said to herself.

But she ended up being sent back a few feet, until someone caught her before she could go any further.

She looked to her right, and saw Kirux standing there.

"I got you!" He yelled, guiding her over towards Sora. He was able to get them over, and picked up Sora in his right arm.

At this point, Xion had passed out, and Kirux was on the verge of doing the same.

But, he was able to stay conscious, and a dark portal formed in front of him.

He was just able to get them all through before it closed behind him.

* * *

They all stood in silence, around the chamber. Riku and Mickey were standing before Master Yen Sid's desk, while Donald and Goofy continued to look out the windows.

Nothing had come up about the whereabouts of Kirux, Xion, or Sora since Riku and Mickey were sent back.

As if they weren't worried enough already, things had only gotten worse.

Riku himself was terrified of what was happening. What would Xehanort do if he was able to get Xion and Kirux? Would he kill them? Would he capture and hold them prisoner, like Lea? Would he turn them onto his own side?

None of these questions had any real answers, and that's the worst part of it all.

...

So, when the dark portal formed by the door to their right (Yen Sid's left), they were all steadily surprised.

Mickey and Riku shared glances before looking back at the portal.

For a few seconds, it just stood there. Nobody walked in or out of it.

...

Finally, when someone did walk out, it wasn't who any of them expected to see.

Kirux walked through, carrying two figures in black coats like his own. The one in his left arm was Xion.

In the other was...Sora.

Xion and Sora were both unconscious, and based on Kirux's motions and expressions, it seemed like he was on the verge of being that very soon.

He didn't speak for a few seconds, staying silent apart from his heavy breathing.

Finally, he laughed lightly, "This guy," he said, motioning his right arm with Sora, "is too much trouble."

And with that, he collapsed to the ground, and lost consciousness.

* * *

 **And there you have it. Kirux and Xion's journey is over...or is it?**

 **Find out next time!**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	27. XXVII - Unbreakable Chains

**(I totally did not hold back releasing this chapter so it could come out thirteen months after "The Soldier of Darkness" was first published. Nope, I wouldn't do that.)**

 **We're picking up immediately where the last one left off. Please enjoy.**

* * *

Kirux landed hard on the ground, landing between Xion and Sora, whom he'd dropped.

Riku and Mickey ran up to them, Riku crouching down in front of Kirux.

"Are you okay?"

Kirux was, surprisingly, still awake, "I'm...fine, but...Sora and Xion..."

Mickey spoke as he lifted Sora's torso, "Riku, let the Master and I take care of Sora for right now. You just get Xion and Kirux somewhere that they can recover."

"Yes," Yen Sid said, "Take them down lower in the tower. They may rest there."

Riku nodded to him, turning his attention back towards Kirux. He went to help him get up, but Kirux shook his head.

"I'm okay. I can..." He said, struggling to raise himself. His arms gave way, and he fell back to the ground.

Riku picked him up, and slung his arm over his shoulder.

"Just take it easy," Riku said to Kirux, then he looked over at Donald and Goofy, "Can you guys take Xion?"

The two of them nodded, and walked over to Xion, picking her up. Goofy grabbed her legs, while Donald struggled to hold up her head and upper body.

They walked out of the chamber, Riku about to follow, but he looked over at Sora. Mickey and Yen Sid had started tending to him already.

 _'He'll be alright, for now.'_ Riku thought to himself, then him and Kirux followed Donald and Goofy out of the chamber and lower into the tower.

...

...

...

As they descended, they were silent. Riku finally broke the silence after about five minutes.

"So, why did you two go in there?"

"In where?"

"The Sleeping Worlds. What happened that caused you two to leave wherever you were?"

"Oh, well..." Kirux said, "It's...a bit of a long story. I'll try to explain it the best I can."

So, he began, "We had been living in Twilight Town ever since your last battle with Xemnas. It felt like years had passed, when it's only been a couple of months."

"You know," Riku interrupted, "I always wondered what happened to you two after you left the islands."

"You did?"

"Yeah. I was...never mind. Keep going."

Kirux did, "Well, a few weeks ago, something started happening to me. I began having these really odd dreams. I've had dreams like that in the past, but these ones were...different. They were showing me different events and images, memories...but none of them belonged to me, most of the time..."

"In time, the dreams got worse and worse, and started to affect me during daytime. When that happened, I finally had had enough, and came to Master Yen Sid to get answers."

He sighed, "I dragged Xion out of the lives we had, just so I could figure out what was wrong with me. And now look what's happened..."

"Don't be like that," Riku said, "You guys did the right thing. If you both hadn't gone, then Sora might still be under Xehanort's control."

"I guess..." Kirux responded.

...

The two were silent more, before Riku broke it once again, "Is that the only reason you guys went in there?"

"Well, not the only one. We're also trying to find a way to bring back Axel and Roxas."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I...missed them, a ton. And...well, you know."

Riku smiled, "Yeah, I know."

He didn't bother telling him about Lea. It was best he found out on his own.

...

They finally reached the room Master Yen Sid had mentioned, the door already opened. Riku carried Kirux in, finding Donald and Goofy turning towards the doorway. There were two beds, and Xion already occupied the one to the right.

Kirux looked up, "Thank you Donald, Goofy."

They both nodded at him.

Goofy turned to Riku, "We're gonna head back to Master Yen Sid's chamber."

"I'll meet you guys there in a minute."

Donald and Goofy left the room. Riku then walked over to the empty bed, and helped Kirux sit down.

"You good now?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

...

Kirux spoke quietly, "You know, she told me herself how she felt."

"Huh?"

"Back in the Organization's world, she told me...how much she didn't want to come on this journey. How she wanted to stay at home, and...wished I had just listened to her."

He looked down at the ground, "It's my fault we're here. It's my fault she's unconscious like this. It's-,"

"Stop," Riku interrupted, "Kirux, I know you feel like you screwed up, and that Xion thinks that you did. But moping around like this isn't going to change any of that."

"You two are here now, and Xehanort isn't going to just let you go after what you two have done."

Riku's tone then changed, "Just...try and take it easy for now. You two went through a lot. Take some time for yourselves now."

Kirux said nothing, as Riku left.

"Riku," Kirux said, making Riku stop.

He turned back, "Yeah."

Kirux looked up at him, "Thanks."

Riku smiled, "No problem."

Riku walked out of the room, leaving Kirux alone with a sleeping Xion.

...

Kirux lay back on the bed, sighing heavily in relief. Riku has shut the door behind him, so the room was now nearly pitch black.

He looked towards where Xion was, barely able to see the outline of her frame. She was still asleep, as far as he could tell.

Kirux smiled, closing his eyes.

"Finally, it's over..." he said quietly.

* * *

Riku reentered Master Yen Sid's chamber, finding everyone else gathered around Sora (apart from Yen Sid, who was in his chair), who was still unconscious.

"Anything happen?" He asked.

Mickey shook his head.

Riku sighed, walking over and crouching down in front of Sora. He was still fast asleep, his face blank.

"Sora..." Mickey said, "Don't tell me your heart is sleeping, too."

"No Mickey," Master Yen Sid answered from his chair, "This situation is not the same."

"Can we do anything for him?" Riku asked.

...

"In your Mark of Mastery exam," Yen Sid began, "You were to unlock seven Sleeping Keyholes. By doing so, you would awaken those worlds from their prisons of slumber, and also acquire the power to free a heart from its sleep. Xion and Kirux did the same throughout their journey."

"So," Riku interrupted for a minute, "You basically gave them their own Mark of Mastery exam, right?"

"Correct. Now Riku," Yen Sid continued, "You unlocked those Keyholes from within Sora's dreams. Therefore, it stands to reason that you now have the power to awaken Sora's heart."

Mickey was the first to speak when he finished, "You want him to dive back into Sora's sleep? But Master, Sora's heart is down in the darkest abyss. If Riku's not careful, he might just get stuck down there with him."

Yen Sid had walked over, standing before Mickey as he finished, "No, I'll go instead."

"And perhaps you may even succeed, Mickey. But there is no doubt Riku stands the better chance, having been in Sora's heart as long as he has."

Mickey crossed his arms over his chest.

Riku looked at him, then back at Sora.

* * *

 _ **Play: Dearly Beloved - KH2**_

* * *

Then, he smiled and turned back to Mickey, "Mickey, I really appreciate it. But, I'll go wake Sora up."

"Riku..."

Riku looked at Sora, "Just look at him, sleeping like this. He's always been like that. The three of us would agree to work on the raft, and this guy would go take a nap on the beach."

He looked back towards the others, "You see, it's my job to keep him on his toes. Besides, what kind of Keyblade masters takes a break from their test?"

Riku continued, "I'm doing it for me too. Sora saved me once, and...I heard him call my name. He needs me."

...

Mickey smiled, "There's something real strong that binds us to each other. Even in the darkness, you can reach him. All you gotta do is follow that connection!"

Goofy spoke up next, "Gee, we're all connected to Sora."

Donald after that, "You said it!"

Mickey spoke to Riku again, "And if the darkness gets to you, one of us will bail you out. Promise."

...

Riku stood up, "Guys, thank you. Sora and I will be back soon."

He bowed to Master Yen Sid, then walked a few feet away. His Keyblade appeared in his hand, and he pointed it at Sora.

Then, a strange object appeared next to Sora. The center sphere showed an image of dark waves flowing around, showing just how deep Sora's heart truly was.

Riku looked at Mickey, who nodded to him.

Riku nodded back, then looked back towards the object.

It began to glow, then Riku's body dissolved into particles of light. Those particles went into the object, and it disappeared.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Dearly Beloved - KH2**_

* * *

Xion's eyes opened very slowly, finding herself laying on a soft surface.

When her eyes opened fully, she could barely see anything. There was very little light, and she couldn't find the source of that light.

It was then she thought of Kirux.

"Ki?" She called out into the dark, just hoping to get some sort of response.

"I'm here," she heard him say from the other side of the room, and was just able to see him laying in another bed. He was laying on his back, looking over at her.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

"I'm fine, but...where are we?"

"Back at Master Yen Sid's tower. I brought us here, right after you went unconscious."

"And Sora?"

"Up in the chamber. We're a few floors down."

...

"So," Xion said, "We did it?"

"Yeah. We did it."

Xion didn't say anything initially.

After a few seconds, she heard Kirux sigh, "Now, we can just take some time for ourselves, y'know?"

"Yeah..."

...

After another minute or so, Xion climbed out of her bed, walked across the room, and climbed into the other bed with Kirux. She snuggled close to him, resting her head on his collarbone and winding her arm over his waist.

She felt Kirux's head turn, his nose now resting in her hair, "I was wondering when you were gonna do that."

"Do you want me to go back to mine?"

He laughed lightly, "Nah. I'd much rather have you right where you are anyways..."

She smiled at that.

...

...

...

After a few minutes of silence, Kirux spoke again, "We should probably go back up and check on Sora."

"Maybe..."

"What do you mean by that?"

Xion said nothing. She just brought her eyes up to his, and pressed her lips against his lightly.

When she pulled back, she gazed into his eyes, "I just want to stay with you for a little longer..."

Kirux smiled at her, "I can't argue with that."

He leaned forward, and they kissed again. Xion pulled back almost immediately though.

"Kirux, can...I ask you something?"

Kirux raised an eyebrow at her, "What is it?"

...

"I...I know I pretty much already asked this before, but..."

"What were you thinking about, during that journey? What was going through your mind through everything?"

Kirux was confused, "Umm...why do you ask?"

"I...I don't know. Just...forget I brought it up. I'm sorry."

...

She got up, and walked back over to the other side of the room, sitting down on her own bed. Kirux sat up, flinging his legs off the side so he could face her.

"Xion, are you okay?"

She didn't look up at him. She stared down at the floor.

"Xion, talk to me. Please."

She continued to not speak.

...

...

...

"Kirux, do you still care about me?"

"Huh?"

"You heard me."

"What kind of question is that?"

"Just answer."

...

"I, uh..." Kirux struggled to say because of his confusion, "Xion, that...should be obvious."

"But is it?" She said, looking up at him, "Is it that obvious?"

"What are you saying?" Kirux said.

...

...

...

"Kirux, I..." Xion stuttered, "Ever since you've started having those dreams, I always felt...that you started to, I don't know, grow distant."

"Xion-,"

"No. Let me finish."

Kirux backed down, letting her continue.

"I just feel that after things started happening, you...started being more distant. You kept secrets from me. You stopped talking with me. You even tried to go on that whole journey without me."

"You...tried to leave me behind, just like you had done in the past, even after you promised not to..."

Kirux said nothing.

...

Eventually, he sighed, "You're right. I'm sorry. I...kind of did break that promise I made to you, didn't I?"

He laughed lightly, but there wasn't any humor in it. Then, he stood up.

"I know it may seem like I was growing more distant, and...I really was. But the reason was because...I didn't want to get you involved. I knew how much you didn't want to go out on another adventure like this, so...I was hoping to figure out what was wrong with me on my own. And well...you know."

"Xion, I...I know it may have seemed like I didn't care, but I...I did everything to try and make things better. I tried to make it better for you. For us. And yeah, what I'll admit that it was all stupid of me, and I'll own up to that. But...everything I did was for the best intentions."

"Do you understand?"

...

Xion stood up, standing only about a foot away from him.

"I just," she started, "Wish you hadn't tried to do so much on your own. You know I would have been there for you, right?"

"Yeah," he responded, rubbing his hair lightly, "Like I said, I...was acting really stupidly."

She giggled lightly, "Yeah, you were."

...

She wound her arms around his neck, "I'm glad you told me though. Just...try not to be so secretive anymore, okay?"

"I will." He said, wrapping his own arms around her waist, "I pro-,"

"Stop," she interrupted, pressing a finger to his lips, "Don't make a girl a promise you know you can't keep."

"Oh, shut up."

"Make me."

"I will."

"Sure you will."

"Watch me."

...

He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Xion kissed him back gently, wrapping her arms around his neck even tighter.

Kirux pulled her closer to him as they continued to kiss, as Xion ran one of her hands up through his hair.

She was a bit annoyed when he pulled back for air, but it went away quickly when she looked into his eyes.

"I love you..." He said softly, brushing some of her hair out of her eyes.

"I know..." She responded, pulling him back in and kissing him again.

...

Then there was a knock on the door.

The two of them pulled back almost immediately, Xion sighing.

"You've gotta be kidding me..." She grumbled quietly.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's fine. It was gonna happen sooner or later."

...

Right after she said that, the door opened, and the two separated. Mickey walked through the door.

"Everything all right here?" He asked, stopping a few feet away from them.

"Yeah, we're fine now."

"Good. Master Yen Sid wanted me to come and get you two. He says it's important."

"Okay. We'll be right up."

Mickey nodded, and left the room, leaving the door open.

...

Kirux sighed, "I'm really sorry, but...we should head up and see what he needs."

"Okay..." Xion said, not looking up at him.

He turned back towards her, "If you want to stay, then-,"

"No, it's...I'll get over it."

"Xion..."

"Kirux, it's fine. Really. Now, come on."

She went to walk out, grabbing his arm and dragging him along behind her.

* * *

 _ **Play: Magical Mystery - KH2**_

* * *

After a few minutes, the two of them reached the chamber. Sora was sleeping on the back wall, with Donald and Goofy at his sides. Master Yen Sid was sitting in his chair, Mickey at his side.

Kirux noticed that Riku was missing, "What happened to Riku?"

"He dove into Sora's heart. Hopefully, he shall be able to awaken him from this slumber."

"Yeah. I hope he will."

Xion spoke up after that, "You wanted to see us, right Master?"

"Yes. I need to discuss with you both the true reason you both went on your journey."

"The "true" reason?" Kirux asked.

...

"Yes. You see, by unlocking those seven Sleeping Keyholes, you were to obtain a new power. Using your Keyblades, you would now be able to unlock a person's heart from its captivity."

"I sent you both in...hoping that you would obtain the same thing as both Sora and Riku."

"But," Xion interrupted, "Weren't Sora and Riku...taking some sort of exam to become Keyblade Masters?"

"Yes. You two, as well as Sora and Riku, went on a journey through the Sleeping Worlds. The circumstances were different, but...the end goal was the same for all four of you."

...

"What are you saying?" Kirux asked, still not sure of what he was talking about.

Xion was the opposite, "You mean that...we..."

Yen Sid nodded, "A great conflict is coming, one where we'll need as many Keyblade wielders as we can to combat the forces of darkness. Kirux and Xion, your journey showed me that you two have the capabilities and the strength to handle the title..."

Mickey walked closer to the two of them, as Yen Sid finished his statement.

"...the title of Keyblade Masters."

...

...

...

For a minute, no one said anything. The room was completely silent.

Finally, Mickey spoke, "Gosh, you two. Aren't you gonna say somethin'?"

Xion smiled, "Are...you serious about this?"

Yen Sid nodded to her.

She let out a breath, than looked over at Kirux, "Can you believe this?"

When she saw his expression, however, her mood changed.

"Kirux, what's wrong?"

...

He sighed, "Master Yen Sid, I...appreciate that, but...well, just look."

What was left of his Keyblade appeared in his hand, and he went forward and placed it on the table.

"Gosh, what happened?" Mickey asked.

"It happened during our battle with Xehanort. His power...was just too strong for me to handle, and...my Keyblade paid the price."

Xion spoke from behind him, "Right...I forgot that happened..."

"I'm sorry, but...how can I be a Keyblade master without a Keyblade?"

...

Yen Sid simply waved his hand, "This is nothing."

"Huh?"

Yen Sid put his hand out before him, and what was left of the Keyblade floated into the air before him. Then, he put his other hand out as well.

A small pulse came from Kirux's chest, and then a glow of light began to surround what was left of Kirux's Keyblade.

It began to grow longer, taking the shape of a sword. Then, there was a small flash of light.

When Kirux looked back, a new Keyblade was floating in the air. It had the length of a longsword, but with gray filigree patterns along the blade and surrounding the hilt. Towards the end of the blade, there was a dark crown that gave it the look of a key. The Keychain at the end was the Heartless logo, with crossed swords along the front.

Yen Sid sent it floating towards Kirux, who took it in his hands. He continued to gave over it in awe.

"The "Mark of a Soldier,"" Yen Sid said, "It's a Keyblade truly from your heart."

Kirux just shook his head, "I-,"

He looked up at Yen Sid, smiling, "Thank you, Master."

Yen Sid nodded to him.

Kirux let the Keyblade fade, as Mickey walked up to him, "Well, now I can finally say congratulations."

Kirux smiled, crouching down, "Thank you, Mickey. It's...truly an honor."

"Well, like what the Master said, we're gonna need all of the Keyblade wielders we can get. I hope you two are ready for what comes."

"We will be," he looked back at Xion, "Won't we?"

She smiled and nodded.

...

Kirux stood up them, "Is that all, Master?"

"Yes. Now, we must wait until Riku awakens Sora and returns from his heart."

"Of course. In that case," he turned towards the door, "I guess I'll hang out outside while I wait."

"I'll go with you." Xion said, and the two of them left Yen Sid's chamber.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Magical Mystery - KH2**_

* * *

Riku awoke to being trapped in an empty void. As he rose up, pulses in the dark would form underneath his feet.

He looked around, assessing what little he could.

"This abyss," he said to himself, "Am I in Sora's dream?"

...

...

...

He heard something from behind him, and turned quickly to face it. He was surprised to find a person standing there.

It looked like...

"...Sora?" He said lightly.

Then the figure turned around, but kept their hood on.

But Riku just knew. It had to be Sora.

"Sora!" He said, running up to them.

"Are you okay? Has Xehanort done anything to you?"

...

Sora said nothing.

"Sora...come on, man. Say something to m-,"

Riku removed the hood, and finally saw Sora's eyes.

They weren't blue. They were yellow.

"Wait...you're not..."

Then, "Sora" smiled deviously, "You're too late, Riku."

...

He pushed Riku in the chest, and Riku was sent falling into the dark abyss.

He called out to Sora constantly, but they fell onto deaf ears.

And soon, he had fallen into sleep again.

* * *

"You know, you're lucky."

"Why's that?"

"Why is it that you always get the cool stuff, while I'm stuck with the same things I've had since the Organization?"

Kirux shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe because..."

She looked up at him, "Because what?"

He smiled, "Because I'm one-hundred percent cooler than you."

...

She shoved him roughly, "Shut up! You're NOT cooler than me!"

"You wanna bet?"

"Yeah. I really would."

"Well, we can ask Axel and Roxas once we get them back. I'm willing to bet they'd back me up."

"Oh please. I was friends with them long before you showed up. You have no chance."

He shrugged, "We'll see."

...

...

...

Kirux's tone changed when he spoke next, "Do you really think we'll get them back?"

"Huh?"

"Roxas and Axel. Do you...really think we'll be able to do it?"

"Of course we will. Once Riku saves Sora, they'll help us find a way."

"Do you really think that?"

"Yes, I do. I know they will."

She looked at his face, "Why the sudden mood chance?"

Kirux looked down, "I don't know. I just...feel like we're not making any progress."

"Of course we're making progress. The Master said we have the power to unlock a person's heart."

"Yeah, but..." he sighed, "Never mind."

"Kirux," she said, grabbing his hand and squeezing it firmly, "Remember what you told me, on the clock tower after Sora and the others defeated Xemnas?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I'll say the same thing. Sora will find a way to bring them back. I know he will. Just...trust me, okay?"

Kirux looked at her, and sighed, "Okay..."

* * *

 _ **Play: Friends in My Heart - KH2**_

* * *

"Hey, you two! Long time no see!"

They instantly recognized the voice, and their eyes darted towards the source.

They saw him walking towards them stopping just a few feet away.

"Man, you two look like you're seeing ghosts. Everything okay?"

...

 _'Same hair, same eyes, same height. It's all the same.'_

 _'It's - it's actually him. It's-,'_

"Axel!" They yelled out simultaneously.

...

He rubbed his hair lightly, "Umm, yeah. Actually, my name i-,"

He was interrupted by Xion crashing into him, crushing his midsection in a hug. He could feel her shaking as she cried, her tears falling from her face onto the grass below.

"Axel..." she had said when she embraced him.

...

He smiled, crouching down to look her in the eyes. Xion pulled back.

"My real name is Lea," he said.

Then, he pointed one finger towards his temple, "Got it memorized?"

Xion smiled, and tears started falling again. She hugged Lea again, feeling him actually return it.

Kirux stood a few feet away, watching the whole exchange play out in front of him.

...

Xion pulled back again, and looked at Kirux.

She smiled at him, "What are you standing there for?"

With that, Kirux ran towards them, crashing into Lea much like Xion had a minute earlier. Him and Xion hugged him tightly, while Lea had one arm wrapped around each of them.

...

...

...

After a few minutes, the three of them finally separated. Kirux rubbed his eyes with his arm, speaking, "I...I can't believe it. You're...you're back..."

"How did you get here?" Xion asked.

"Well, it's a bit of a long story. But, to put it simply, I used this."

He waved his hand, and a Keyblade appeared. Xion and Kirux both gasped, as Lea showed it off to them.

"You know, I have Organization XIII to thank. That girl helped me unlock the ability to wield it."

Kirux looked up at him, "Girl? You mean...Sky?"

"You know her?"

"Yeah, I ran into her in the Sleeping Worlds. She-,"

"Oh, who cares you two?" Xion interrupted, grabbing Lea's arm, "Come on. We gotta tell the Master you're here!"

"Okay! Geez, calm down!"

Her and Kirux laughed, as Kirux opened the door into the tower.

* * *

 **And that's that. Sorry it took so long. I got distracted with a bunch of other things.**

 **Until next time, which won't take nearly three weeks to come out!**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	28. XXVIII - Mark of a Soldier (P1 End)

**Hey. I told you this wouldn't take three weeks to come out.**

 **Anyways, this is the ending. No, not the full ending. It's the end of part** _ **one**_ **. Yes, the first part of the sequel is just as long as the** _ **entire**_ **first story. Crazy, right?**

 **Anyways, here's the finale to part one. Please enjoy.**

* * *

When Kirux and Xion entered the room with Lea in tow, the last thing they expected was to see Riku laying down on the ground, and a dark portal on the far side wall.

That, and Sora had gone missing.

Kirux immediately ran to Riku's side, "What happened? Where's Sora?"

Riku pushed himself up slightly, pointing towards the portal, "He went...through there..."

Mickey spoke to Kirux after that, "Sora woke up, but...it seems that Xehanort still has control over his heart. He escaped through that portal over there, not long after Riku returned."

Riku had lifted himself to his hands and knees, "I tried...to chase after him, but...the portal just shot me back out..."

"It...resisted you?" Kirux asked.

Riku nodded, finally standing up (with some help from Mickey).

Kirux stood up next to him, "I've...never heard of something like that happening before."

...

"I...should have known it wouldn't be that easy..." Riku said, staring down at the ground.

"It's not your fault, Riku. Xehanort did this." Mickey said.

"He's right." Kirux agreed, then turning to Master Yen Sid, "Master, Riku's the strongest out of us all. If that portal didn't let him through, then...what do we do?"

Everyone's eyes were now on Master Yen Sid, who was looking down with his eyes closed.

...

...

...

He raised his head up, opening his eyes and speaking, "Xehanort's power has seemingly taken form of the darkness he wields. He's gained more control over Sora's body, and can now harness these abilities within his vessel."

"If the portal would not accept Riku to travel through, then perhaps..."

"...perhaps Xehanort only wants to face someone who can match his own strength. Someone that can match the power he has...over darkness..."

"But," Xion said, "That means..."

Her eyes fell onto Kirux, as did everyone else's.

...

The room went silent.

* * *

 _ **Play: Link to All - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"Kirux..." Riku had said.

...

...

...

Kirux just stared at the ground, with his eyes shut.

Then, he clenched his fist, looking back up at Master Yen Sid.

"I'll do it," he said, nodding, "If that's what it'll take to save Sora."

Everyone seemed to smile when he said that, and Mickey, Donald, and Goofy even cheered.

Only one person didn't.

And it's pretty obvious who it was.

...

"No," Xion said, stepping forward, "No no no, you can't."

"Xion," he said, turning towards her, "I have to."

"You can't go..."

"I'm the only one that can do this."

"You don't know that. There has to be another way. There just has to-,"

...

"Xion," he said, grabbing her shoulders, "Look at me."

She did, and Kirux could see the fear in her eyes. She looked... _terrified._

"Please," she whispered, "Please don't go..."

Kirux sighed, "I..."

"Xion," Lea spoke up from behind him, "You heard the Master. It's him that Xehanort wants."

Xion said nothing.

...

...

...

She pressed her forehead against Kirux's, "Please...be careful..."

"I will..."

He pulled back and released her shoulders, and turned back to Master Yen Sid.

"You are aware of what must be done." Yen Sid said to him.

Kirux nodded, allowing him to continue, "You know about what's at stake. If you fail, Sora...and yourself, might perish."

"Don't worry," Kirux said, "I'll come back, and I'll bring Sora with me. Only this time...it will actually be Sora."

...

"Well then," Yen Sid said, "Go forth. Sora's fate rests in your hands..."

"...Master Kirux."

Kirux gasped when he said that, but smiled and nodded. He ran towards the portal.

"Kirux." Xion called out to him.

He turned around, and she spoke again, "You better come back."

Kirux smiled, "Make sure I have someone to come back to."

...

"Sora and I will be back soon." He said to everyone, and ran through the portal.

Everyone waited in anticipation, to see if he would be thrown out.

He never was.

...

...

...

Xion looked down at the ground, holding her hands over her chest.

Lea walked up next to her, placing his hand on her shoulder, "He'll be okay. I know he will."

She looked up at him, seeing him give her a reassuring smile.

It did nothing to help her, as she sighed, "I hope so..."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Link to All - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

The sound of Kirux's feet when from metallic to rocky as he exited the portal. When he exited, he looked around the area he was in.

Back in the Keyblade Graveyard, except...something was different. The clouds were dark, and the atmosphere just seemed to be a lot different.

Kirux crossed his arms over his chest, "Well, better give Xehanort some credit. He knows how to set the mood for something like this."

...

He looked up, and sure enough, at the edge of the taller cliff, stood Sora.

"Well then," he said, "That was easier than expected."

He jumped up, and started running along the edge, up to Sora. Sora had walked away, but not before using his dark magic to make parts of the cliff break apart.

The massive rocks fell down towards Kirux. He managed to dodge some by simply running to the side, but some of the pieces were much too big for him to dodge.

Kirux had to jump to get onto one of the rocks, propelling himself over the top. He jumped from rock to rock, trying to get himself to the top.

He jumped off of the last rock, and finally reached the top. He landed on his feet, brushing himself off.

He looked back up, and found Sora/Xehanort standing a few feet away.

Kirux started walking towards him.

...

...

...

When Kirux got closer to him, he yelled towards Sora/Xehanort, "So, are you ready to stop running and fight?"

Kirux stopped, waiting for him to respond.

"You know," Kirux said, crossing his arms over his chest, "I've gotta give it to you. The dark clouds sets a nice atmosphere, a solid back drop for a final battle."

He laughed at himself, as Terra spoke to him in his head, _"Could you get serious? You're supposed to be saving Sora, remember?"_

 _'I didn't forget. Chill out. Let me do my thing.'_

...

"I see you two are getting along." Sora/Xehanort said, causing Kirux to come out of his thoughts.

"Huh?"

"You have become his vessel, just as you were both to become my own. How ironic."

Kirux let his arms fall to his sides, "What are you talking about?"

"Don't think that I did not know Terra ran off to you. I knew he was there the day he found his way into your heart."

Kirux put his hand up to his chest, over his heart, as Sora/Xehanort continued speaking, "His body was lost long ago, and for years his heart was left without anywhere to go. When I finally found out where his heart went, he ran...directly towards you."

Kirux shook his head, _'Terra, tell me he's lying.'_

Terra was silent in his head.

 _'Terra, is he telling the truth?'_

No response.

 _'Dammit Terra, answer me!'_

"You..." Kirux said, looking up at Sora/Xehanort, "YOU were the one that sent Terra's heart to me?!"

"No, but...I may have been involved..."

...

...

...

Kirux said nothing.

He clenched his fists in anger, as Sora/Xehanort spoke again, "But none of that matters. I have all thirteen vessels now. You and Terra are no longer needed."

He put his hand out, and pulled out a long, dark Keyblade. He pointed it towards Kirux, and dark energy formed at the end.

"This is goodbye, Kirux." He said, as the energy fired in a massive sphere towards Kirux.

He put his arms up to defend himself, but it did pretty much nothing. The energy exploded, and Kirux was sent flying back.

He landed on the ground, a few feet from the edge of the cliff. He couldn't raise himself up, as his body was too weak.

He heard Sora/Xehanort laugh, "Really? You're already defeated? I figured as much..."

...

Kirux did nothing, as he heard Sora/Xehanort conjuring up more dark magic.

"Now, you're finished." He heard him say.

Darkness formed in the air above him, and Kirux could only watch.

Then, he remembered.

The Fairy Godmother. Back in the Castle of Dreams.

 _"If you defeat shadows with shadows, will rays of light come out?"_

Kirux smiled, "Time to find out."

The dark cloud came down towards him, engulfing him.

He stood up.

"They don't call me the "Soldier of Darkness" for nothing." He said to himself.

He charged up energy, and when he reached his maximum, he screamed out.

There was a massive explosion.

...

A few feet away, Sora/Xehanort stood there, smiling at what he had done.

Kirux and Terra were now dead. And he had his final vessel.

Everything was going according to plan.

At least they were.

But then he saw.

He gasped, "It can't be..."

* * *

 _ **Play: In The Final - M &L: Bowser's Inside Story**_

 **AN: Yet another non-Kingdom Hearts song. I know you're probably mad, but...this song is just too good.**

* * *

Kirux walked out from the darkness, much to Xehanort's dismay.

He put his hand out, summoning his new Keyblade, "My name...is Master Kirux. Now, return my friend's heart..."

He spoke as he readied himself, "...or pay the price!"

Sora/Xehanort smiled, "Funny. I knew another master who said the same thing..."

He readied himself, much like Kirux did.

...

...

...

Kirux ran towards Sora/Xehanort, who just stood and waited. When he got close, he grabbed his blade with both hands and swung hard.

Sora/Xehanort parried his attack, and attacked Kirux this time. The result was the exact same.

For the first few minutes, the two of them just continued to trade blows, only managing to get a few hits on one another. Sora/Xehanort was able to land a few more than Kirux, but neither had any real advantage over the other.

After Kirux parried his attack and made him jump back to dodge his counter, Xehanort started using his dark power.

He waved his hand, and dark lightning shot down from the sky around Kirux. One of the bolts struck his left arm, causing excruciating pain. Kirux tried to keep his composure, but couldn't. Sora/Xehanort attacked him, and knocked him to the ground.

Kirux rolled to get out of the way, as Soranort ( **I'm too lazy to type Sora/Xehanort any longer** ) jumped into the air to strike him.

"Two can play at that game!" Kirux yelled, and started to use his own dark power.

A dark aura formed around him, and dashed towards Soranort, striking him once. He teleported away, reappearing behind him and striking him again. Kirux repeated this five more times, before dashing one final time with a more powerful attack.

Soranort slumped over, but was far from done. He teleported behind Kirux, striking him with a quick three hits, then teleporting in front of him and doing it again, and again from his right and to his left. Kirux stumbled, and that allowed Xehanort to attack him again. He grabbed Kirux by the throat, causing darkness to surround Kirux.

Kirux struggled to fight it off, and was starting to lose himself.

But, he simply charged up his dark energy again. After a few seconds, Soranort himself began to struggle.

There was a burst, and the two were sent flying away from one another. Kirux landed on his feet, while Soranort landed on his back.

Kirux ran over, jumping just a few feet away from Soranort, who put his Keyblade up to defend himself.

But Kirux didn't go to strike him. Instead, he dove into a dark portal in the ground, which disappeared.

The dark portal reappeared underneath Soranort, who was suddenly grabbed by some sort of dark hand.

The hand slammed him into the ground three times before throwing him into the air. Kirux then reappeared from the portal, flying up beside Soranort.

He raised his Keyblade, and slammed Soranort into the ground.

His Keyblade faded out of his hand, as he struggled to get up.

...

Kirux floated down to the ground, a few feet away.

Soranort stood up, looking down at the ground.

"You like that?!" Kirux yelled at him, "Now, let Sora go!"

Soranort started laughing maniacally, still not looking at Kirux.

"Foolish boy..." he said, "You have made...a terrible mistake..."

"What?"

Soranort slammed his fist into the ground, and darkness enveloped the entire area, including himself and Kirux.

Kirux covered his eyes.

* * *

 _ **Stop: In The Final - M &L: Bowser's Inside Story**_

* * *

When Kirux removed his arm from his eyes, he was in a new place. He was in the chamber of some castle, a massive stainglass window behind him and smaller ones on the opposite wall. Three thrones sat at the other end of the room.

"What in the world is this place?" Kirux asked himself.

 _"This place...it can't be..."_

Kirux gasped, 'Terra! _Where have you been?! I could have used your help back there!'_

Terra, of course, went radio silent after that.

Kirux sighed, but then...something started forming in front of him.

Darkness waves started to pile in front of the thrones.

In time, it took the form of a person.

* * *

 _ **Play: Forze dell'Oscurita - KH Birth by Sleep Final Mix**_

* * *

After a few seconds, a man appeared before him. He wore a suit of armor, with a gold crown on the top of their helmet and the Nobody symbol across their chest.

Xehanort's Keyblade appeared in their hand, and Kirux knew.

He scoffed, "Just because you're in armor doesn't mean I can't beat you, Xehanort!"

He ran towards Xehanort, and tried to strike him. He simply side-stepped his attack, and kicked Kirux away.

Kirux didn't back down, and ran back towards him. He did the same thing again, and it didn't work any better than the first time. He was sent back again.

"Come on!" Kirux yelled at him, "Fight like a man!"

Kirux would regret making that statement.

...

Xehanort very quickly dashed towards Kirux, attacking him immediately.

Kirux wasn't able to react to any of his attacks, and got hit over and over again.

Xehanort attacked relentlessly. He was slashing Kirux with his Keyblade, but also kicking him in the head, face, and stomach multiple times.

Kirux could do nothing but take the pounding, that in all honest, that he had coming.

...

Xehanort kicked Kirux hard in the stomach, his Keyblade falling out his hand. He flew back, crashing into the stain glass window, somehow not shattering it.

He fell to the ground, landing hard on the ground. He was unconscious before his body landed.

* * *

 ** _Pause: Forze dell'Oscurita - KH Birth by Sleep Final Mix_**

* * *

Kirux's eyes opened back up, in an empty void.

He sighed, "How many times is this gonna happen to me?"

"Does it really matter?" Someone said.

...

Out of the darkness, a man appeared.

Kirux recognized him.

"T-Terra?"

Terra walked towards him, "You know, if you hadn't acted like an idiot, you might have lasted a few more seconds against him."

"Hey, screw you! It's your fault I even have to do this anyways."

Terra shook his head, "You're such a stubborn kid..."

"I heard that!"

Terra didn't respond.

...

"What do you want anyways, Terra?"

"I," Terra said, "Don't want anything. Well, that's not true, but...we don't have time for that. You need to defeat Xehanort, and...I'm the only one that can help you do that."

"I don't need your help," Kirux said, "I've got this. Let me handle it."

"If you didn't need help, then you wouldn't be here."

"He got lucky..."

Terra smiled, "So stubborn..."

"Get to it, man."

...

"Well," Terra started, "Because I'm here, that means that...you can I can combine our strength. I'll lend you my power, and that combined with your own power...you should be able to defeat Xehanort and save Sora."

"I told you. I don't need your help."

"Yes you do. Kirux, remember what Xion sai-,"

"You have no right to talk about Xion."

"Just listen to me, okay?"

Kirux crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well, she wished that you hadn't tried to do so much on your own, right?"

Kirux nodded, and Terra continued, "Well, it's situations like this...just, let me help you, okay? You and I combined are strong enough to take down Xehanort, and you need to do that in order to save Sora, right?"

Kirux nodded again.

"Well, if that's what you want...then you need me. So..."

Terra put his hand out, "...what do you say?"

...

Kirux was hesitant, but...he thought it over.

 _'He's right. I can't do this alone...'_

He sighed, "Screw it..."

He reached out, and grabbed Terra's hand, and there was a burst of light.

* * *

 _ **Resume:**_ ** _Forze dell'Oscurita - KH Birth by Sleep Final Mix_**

* * *

Xehanort stood in the same place where he had kicked Kirux away. He had watched him fall from the window.

Now, he had surely won the battle, right?

Wrong.

...

Out of nowhere, a still unconscious Kirux was lifted up into the air.

He was being held up by some sort of orange energy sphere, and you could faintly see chains in the orange glow.

"You..." Xehanort said to himself.

Kirux's eyes opened up, and darkness formed around him. He charged energy up, and it along with the orange energy sphere burst.

...

...

...

Kirux's feet landed on the ground, but...he could hear the sound of metal underneath his feet.

He looked at his hand, and saw that he was in a suit of armor, apart from a helmet. The suit looked identical to Terra's armor (he remembered from the dreams), only with various shades of gray and white apart from brown and orange.

Kirux clenched the fist he was looking at, and he looked back at Xehanort. He put his right hand out, his Keyblade appearing.

The helmet manifested in a glow of light around Kirux's head.

"Let's do this..." He said, advancing towards Xehanort.

...

...

...

Having to fight in a suit of armor seemed to be bit more challenging for Kirux. It was heavier, and harder to move around in. Xehanort was able to dodge and move around with ease early on, attacking Kirux from a distance (he transformed his Keyblade into wings at one point, which stunned Kirux.)

After a little bit of time though, Kirux was able to get the hang of it, and was able to put up a decent fight now.

Along with the armor, Kirux was seemingly able to harness some of Terra's abilities. He was able dash around like Terra had when Kirux fought him in the Organization's world, and even able to do the strange whip attack, which worked marvelously against Xehanort.

Kirux also used some of his own abilities. He used his dark magic constantly, and used many of his old abilities against Xehanort. They mostly worked, but he wasn't able to completely defeat him.

...

Xehanort stumbled backwards, having to use his Keyblade to keep him steady.

Kirux walked slowly towards him, changing his Keyblade back to normal.

Xehanort responded by turning his Keyblade into wings again, and flying up into the air. He started shooting dark projectiles at Kirux, who easily swatted them all away.

 _'If only I had a way to attack him when he's up in the air like that.'_ He thought to himself.

He heard Terra respond, _"You do. Watch this."_

For a minute, Kirux lost control of his body, and Terra turned his Keyblade into a bow.

Kirux smiled, _'Nice. Thanks Terra.'_

 _"Don't thank me. Just knock that guy out of the sky."_

 _'Got it.'_

...

Kirux pulled the string back, and fired at Xehanort, barely missing by a few inches. He fired again and again, each shot getting just a bit closer.

 _'It's not working. He's moving too fast.'_

 _"Try aiming ahead of him. Anticipate where he's going to move."_

Kirux did, following Xehanort but not following. He aimed just a bit ahead of him.

He let the shot fly, and it went straight into the chest of Xehanort. His wings disappeared, and he fell to the ground.

Kirux transformed his Keyblade back to its original form.

He slowly walked towards Xehanort.

...

Xehanort struggled to stand up, just managing to get back to his feet.

Kirux pointed his Keyblade at him, and fired a burst of light at him. It hit Xehanort, going straight through his chest.

He tried to get up again, and Kirux shot another burst through his chest.

"I told you," Kirux said to him as he got closer, "You will return my friend's heart...or pay the price."

"Well, the price has been paid." He stopped, as Xehanort sat up, while still on his knees.

"And now...you will vacate Sora's heart...forever!" Kirux yelled, pointing his Keyblade at Xehanort. Light built up at the end, and a beam shot towards him and through his chest.

Xehanort fell back, and he began to shake. After a few seconds, the armor cracked and crumbled, revealing Sora's body.

A heart flew out of his chest, sailing into the air and disappearing.

Sora fell back, unconscious.

* * *

 _ **Stop:**_ ** _Forze dell'Oscurita - KH Birth by Sleep Final Mix_**

* * *

The area began to fade, and it transitioned back into the Keyblade Graveyard. The armor faded away in a burst of light, and Kirux was suddenly back to normal.

His Keyblade faded, and he walked towards Sora.

...

Sora's eyes opened, and he sat up.

"What in the world..." he said, looking around, "Where...am I?"

"Don't worry. Everything is okay."

He looked ahead of him, and saw Kirux standing there, only adding to his confusion.

"Kirux? Wha-,"

Kirux waved his hand, "Save it for now. Let's just get you out of here and back to the Master."

He walked to Sora's side, and helped him get up. Sora struggled to walk, so Kirux had to help him with that too."

...

"I don't understand..." Sora said, "What happened to me?"

"It was Xehanort. He forced his heart inside of you, and actually took control of you for a while. Riku tried to save you, but...he failed. I gave it a shot, and...here we are."

"You...saved me?" He asked, looking at Kirux.

Kirux smiled and nodded.

"Wow...Thanks Kirux."

"Hey, it was nothing. That's what friends are for, right?"

Sora laughed, "Yeah, you're right."

A dark portal appeared before them, and Kirux and Sora both walked through.

* * *

The anticipation was killing them.

Hours had passed since Kirux had run through the portal after Sora, and he hadn't returned. Xion being Xion couldn't contain herself, and thought of seemingly every negative outcome to the situation. Riku and Lea tried to get her to calm down, but nothing worked. It didn't help that after a few minutes, the portal had disappeared.

She paced back and forth in front of Master Yen Sid's desk, and refused to stop.

"Xion..." Lea called out to her. He was leaning against the walls on the opposite side of the portal, "You need to relax. Kirux will be fine."

"You don't know that. Something could happen to him..."

Lea shook his head, _'Geez, when did she get so paranoid?'_ He thought to himself.

He had really missed a lot in the months that had passed, so it would seem.

...

"Look!" Mickey said, pulling Lea out of his thoughts and Xion out of her pacing.

The portal had reappeared, back in the same spot as before.

Everyone waited.

* * *

 _ **Play: Sora - KH2**_

* * *

Finally, Kirux walked through, carrying someone in a black coat over his shoulder.

Sora, only this time...it was actually Sora.

"Sora!" Mickey, Donald, and Goofy called out.

Kirux let Sora walk on his own, but he stumbled after only a few steps.

Luckily, Riku caught him before he could fall.

When Sora looked up, he smiled, "Riku!"

He hugged him, and Riku returned it, "It's good to have you back, Sora."

Kirux smiled.

...

...

...

He was completely caught off guard when Xion crashed into him, squeezing him tightly.

"Geez, calm down! I wasn't gone for _that_ long."

Xion ignored him, pulling back and looking into his eyes, "Are you okay?"

"Xion, I'm fine. There's not a single scratch on me."

Xion exhaled heavily, "Thank goodness..."

Kirux laughed, "You worry too much, Shi."

Lea walked over to them, smiling at Kirux.

"You did good. I'm proud of you."

Kirux shrugged, "Well, I...had a little help..."

"Really? From who?"

Kirux smiled, think of Terra.

 _"You're welcome."_ He said to him.

"It doesn't matter..." He said.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Sora - KH2**_

 _ **Play: Dearly Beloved - The Next Awakening - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

Kirux looked around the room, at everyone.

Sora and Riku, who were surrounded by Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. At Lea, who stood to his left, and Xion to his right, who still had her arms wrapped around him.

Seeing all of that, he started to think.

...

Sure, the road ahead would be long, rough, and brutal. It would bring pain, sorrow, and sadness to all of them.

But Kirux understood...

As long as they all had their friends at their sides, everything was going to work out.

And sure, some of the pieces were still missing.

Roxas, Ventus, and Terra. They all had to be saved.

But if everyone stuck together, then they'd all be brought back.

All any of them had...was each other.

But the connections all of them had would keep them together.

And not even Xehanort would be able to change them.

* * *

 **End of Part 1**

* * *

 **There we go. Part One is over. The beginning of Part Two comes next.**

 **So, what did you all think? What were your thoughts on the part one? What are you hoping to see in part two? Let me know in a review!**

 **I'll see you all then!**

 **-Broncozfan623**

* * *

 _ **But wait...there's more!**_

 _ **Stop:**_ _ **Dearly Beloved - The Next Awakening - KH 3D Dream Drop Distance**_

 _ **Play: Organization XIII - KH2**_

* * *

"Well, that didn't work," Xigbar said, "Now what are we gonna do?"

"Don't you worry," Master Xehanort said, "We have a replacement for Sora, as well as Xion. After all, she was supposed to be the fall back plan, but...that didn't work out in our favor either."

"Ahh, so you're bringing in the third string? I see...care to indulge us in who it is?"

"Not now, we have...other matters to deal with."

He looked down, seeing Saïx throwing someone into the center of the middle platform. Master Xehanort teleported out of his chair down to the platform, now seeing the one in question.

It was Skyler. She was holding her side and breathing heavily. Saïx had definitely gotten his hands on her before bringing her here.

She looked up at Xehanort with anger, and he saw that her eyes had reverted back to their original blue shade.

Xehanort frowned at her, "You had promise, Kaze. But time and time again, you disobeyed orders, disobeyed _me_..."

Sky said nothing.

"I don't want to do this, but...I cannot let insubordination go unpunished."

...

He put his hand out towards her, and dark lighting came from it and started shocking her. She cried out in pain, but tried to remain upright.

"Next time, you will not question mine or anyone's orders." Xehanort said, stopping the lightning.

"I will..." she struggled, "...never...take orders from you..."

He shook his head, "Seems like I didn't do enough...oh well..."

He started shocking her again, this time with more intensity. Sky couldn't keep herself upright, and fell to the ground, still yelling out in pain.

...

Xehanort said nothing. The other members said nothing. Everyone just watched as the Master tortured Sky.

She tried to get up, but couldn't. She collapsed back to the ground.

She screamed out loudly, finally losing her consciousness.

Xehanort let the lightning cease, then looked to Saïx.

"Take her away. I'll make sure she never gains full control again later..."

Saïx nodded, picking Sky up and carrying her away.

Xehanort teleported back up into his chair, hearing clapping.

"Bravo, bravo," Xigbar said, "I bet you plan on doing that next time you run into Sora or one of them. Am I right?"

Xehanort smiled evilly, "Precisely..."

* * *

 **There. NOW it's over.**

 **See you in Part Two!**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	29. XXIX - The Calming

**Hello everyone. Welcome to Part 2.**

 **If it wasn't obvious, this is obviously the "Kingdom Hearts 3" section of the story. From here on, we're not going off of anything that was previously in the series. This was all created by me. And, well...never mind. We'll cross that bridge once we reach it.**

 _ **(Please keep in mind that this was all planned before all of the KH3 E3 trailers were released.)**_

 **I'm also trying a new writing style for this first chapter. Let me know what you think of it. If you guys don't like it, I'll revert back to what I did before.**

 **Anyways, here's the beginning of part two.**

* * *

 _ **Play: Dearly Beloved (Reprise) - KH2**_

 **AN: I don't know. I ran out of ideas, so I put something that was a bit more relaxing.**

 _(P.S: I almost made this "Stardust Speedway Zone, Act 1" from Sonic Mania. Go listen to that instead if you'd like.)_

* * *

Let's start at a quiet place.

I know, kind of odd considering what will come later on.

But let us call it the calm before the storm, how about that?

...

We begin at the Mysterious Tower, the "home base" for our heroes.

No, don't ask who these "heroes" are. You read the first part, so you should definitely know already!

Anyways, let's start at the bottom and make our way up, shall we?

...

As we advance upward, we come across a door on the right, leading to one of the many chambers Master Yen Sid has conjured up. And who's behind door number one, you ask?

Well, it's only our three main, lovable heroes. Sora, Donald, and Goofy. They're sound asleep, something I think we'll see quite a lot of as we make our way up. After all, that last battle with Xehanort was quite tiresome for everybody.

Leaving those three, we come across a chamber right across from theirs. This one has only one occupant, Riku. Like the trio we mentioned beforehand, he is sound asleep.

Let's leave those four, and advance further up the tower. We've come across another chamber, so let's have a look inside here too.

Much like the first we entered, we have three occupants occupying two separate beds. One of them is our pyromaniac "big brother", Lea (or Axel, whichever you prefer). In the other, it's the two that seemingly can't ever be separated, Kirux and Xion.

Much like the others, _most_ of them are sleeping. Lea is out like a light on the opposite side of the room, while Xion is peacefully resting in Kirux's arms. But Kirux's eyes are wide open, staring right up into dark abyss of the room.

Why? Well, we'll come back to him in a minute. Remember, we haven't explored the entirety of the Mysterious Tower.

...

...

...

At long last, we reach the top of the tower, and enter Master Yen Sid's chamber. There are two figures here in the chamber, one standing and one sitting.

The one standing is a mouse, with two very distinct round ears. He's the king of Disney Castle itself. King Mickey, or just Mickey.

The one sitting is an older man, with a thick gray beard and a blue cloak and wizard hat. He is Master Yen Sid, of course.

...

Neither of them are speaking, but pretty soon Mickey does speak, "Master, did...Kirux and Xion really tell you where Ven's heart is?"

"Yes, Mickey. They say that they met Ventus inside of Sora's heart. And with Aqua still in recovery, this leaves only Terra..."

"I see...and where do you think Terra's heart could be? There's been no trace of him ever since...well, you know."

"I am aware of that. As for Terra's heart,"

The Master held his head down, closing his eyes. This prompted Mickey to speak, "Master?"

"You may be surprised, Mickey." Yen Sid responded, looking back up at Mickey, "Terra's heart may be closer than you think."

Mickey gasped, "Really? Then, where?"

"Have you ever considered the possibility...that Terra's heart may be in the same predicament as Ventus? That he may be sleeping within another one's heart?"

Mickey thought it over, then gasped again, "What? But...who's heart could it be?"

Master Yen Sid looked at him intently, but said nothing.

...

...

...

Let's leave those two, and go back down the tower, back to our three (former) Nobody friends.

See? I didn't forget about Kirux. I told you we'd come back to him.

...

Well, nothing has changed in the room. He's still wide awake, while Xion and Lea/Axel are the exact opposite.

He feels Xion shift in her sleep, curling even closer against his chest. He looks down at her, smiling yet sighing at the same time.

He looked back out into the darkness, but felt Xion stirring again.

"Xion?" He whispered, trying not to wake her or Lea up.

He failed, as Xion responded just as quietly a second after, "What..?"

"You okay?"

"I'm fine," she said before yawning, "Why...are you awake?"

Kirux shrugged, "I don't know. Thinking..."

Xion just grumbled to herself, pulled Kirux closer and went back to sleep.

Kirux looked down at her again, _'Shoot, did I make her mad? I probably did...she'll probably think I'm worrying about her or something.'_

...

A few minutes after that thought though, he heard Xion sigh, then raise herself up so they were now laying face to face.

"And now I can't sleep, you jerk." She said, smiling at him.

Kirux felt a singe of guilt, "Sorry..."

She shook her head, "Don't be."

...

They were silent for a little bit, until Xion finally spoke, "So...what were you thinking about?"

Kirux shrugged, "A bunch of things."

"Like...?"

"What's gonna happen, and...what comes after."

Xion raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm not sure. I guess...I'm just curious as to what's gonna happen after everything ends. Once we defeat Xehanort, what do we do then?"

Xion shrugged this time, "I don't know. Go back home, I guess. There wouldn't be any reason for us to stay here anymore."

"I mean," she continued, "With Xehanort gone, we'd all be able to live in peace, you know...like we had wanted to before..."

Kirux's eyes went away from her's, "I guess..."

"What's wrong?"

"It's just...things didn't work out so well last time that happened..."

"They did at first, but then," she brought her hand out and rested it on his cheek, "Then you started to go crazy."

...

"I wasn't going crazy," Kirux protested, "Everything that I said happened DID happen."

Xion smiled, "Are you sure it was _everything_?"

"Yes! Honestly, it was!"

She shushed him, "Stay quiet. If you wake up Axel, he'll kill you."

Kirux looked over at him, noticing he was still (thankfully) sound asleep, "Isn't his actual name Lea?"

Xion shook her head, "I don't care. I like Axel better."

He smiled, "Yeah, I do too."

...

"Kirux, you don't have to worry about what's gonna happen after. We've got a long way to go before that happens.

"So," she said, wrapping her arm over his waist and pulling herself to him, "Try not to think about it for now, okay?"

He smiled at her, "Okay then."

She smiled back, "Good, and trust me. We will make it through this. Together. Right?"

"Of course."

Then she leaned forward, kissing him once lightly, "Now, at least try and get some sleep. Please?"

He sighed, "Fine. Good night, Shi."

"G'night."

...

Xion curled up against him, closing her eyes. Kirux closed his eyes as well, and within minutes they were both asleep.

Little did they know, their little conversation had woken Lea. He had heard the whole thing.

As he had listened to them, he had grown...well, he didn't really know. It wasn't jealousy, but...it sure felt like it.

After a while, he just decided to roll back over, and sleep had found him again in no time.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Dearly Beloved (Reprise) - KH2**_

 _(Or "Stardust Speedway Zone, Act 1" if you decided to listen to that.)_

* * *

Xion's eyes opened up again, the light hitting her hard.

She felt the bed next to her, finding it empty. When she looked on the other side of the room, the other bed was empty as well.

The others must have gotten up earlier, she had determined.

She got up, stretched her arms out above her head, and walked out of the room. She decided to head to Master Yen Sid's chamber and see if either Kirux or Lea were there.

...

As she climbed the stairway, she thought about the conversation he and Kirux had had the night before.

He was thinking to the future, after the battle with Xehanort.

Why would he be thinking about that? Was he afraid that they weren't going to make it, that they would fail and Xehanort would win?

 _'I hope what I told him actually works. It's really hard to get through to him sometimes.'_

 _'If only there was a way we could have avoided all of this in the first place...'_

...

She opened the door to one of the lower chambers, finding Lea leaning back against the far wall. When she noticed him, she smiled.

"Hey Axel." She said, walking closer to him. He seemed to not have noticed her when she walked in, because he looked up in surprise when she said his name.

"Oh, hey Xion." He said in a low tone, almost monotone.

She tilted her head in confusion, "Is something wrong? Did I...disturb you or something?"

"No, I was just...thinking."

"Oh, I see." She laughed lightly.

"What's so funny?"

"The same thing happened with Kirux last night. It's...kind of funny."

He smiled, "Yeah, kind of." But his smile faded away soon after.

...

"You gonna tell me what you were talking about?" Xion asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Yeah, uh..." he said, standing up straight, "Xion, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. What's up?"

...

"Well," Lea said, "I hope you don't mind me asking this, but...what exactly are your feelings about Kirux?"

Xion gasped lightly, "Umm...why?"

Lea crossed his arms over his chest, "Just answer the question."

Xion was confused, but did answer, "Well, if you have to know...I care about him very much."

"That's it?"

"What do you mean?"

"That's how you put it? That you "care about him very much"?"

"Why do you care?" She asked, starting to get agitated.

...

"Well Xion," he started, "I overheard your conversation with Kirux last night, and from what I noticed of your actions around him..."

"I think you're a little, I don't know, obsessive."

Xion raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

Lea sighed, "Come on, Xion. It's obvious. You are obsessed with Kirux. You two go five minutes without being a room away from him, or to be more accurate...you can't go five seconds without having him near you."

"You're obsessed with everything that has to do with him, and to be honest...it can get kind of frustrating to deal with."

"And I think, just maybe...you'll shun Roxas and I away again, once we bring him back, just so you can run off with Kirux, just like you did before. Come on, Xion. Weren't Roxas and I there for you _before_ Kirux showed up?"

He waited for her response.

...

Xion was looking down at the ground, taking in everything.

It made her...angry.

 _Really_ angry.

And angry Xion is not the Xion you want to deal with.

...

Her fists clenched, as she looked back up at him, "Are you saying that you want me to abandon Kirux?"

"Huh? No! Of course not! I just-,"

"No! That's exactly what you're saying! You want me to leave Kirux, leave the one that I love...because you're jealous?!"

"Xion, you've got it all wrong. I'm not-,"

She put her hand up, "Just stop, Axel. Let me tell you something."

He crossed his arms, and didn't dare to interrupt her.

...

...

...

She sighed, and began, "When I was first created and forced into the Organization...you were right. I didn't have anyone to turn to, and you and Roxas _were_ there for me. You two were the only friends I had, and I could not be more grateful to the two of you."

"But when Kirux came in, and he joined the Organization, everything changed. It seemed like from the moment him and I first met, we were as close friends as...well, anyone. He would always come and talk to me whenever him and I saw each other at the castle. Any time I had come back from failing a mission and gotten berated by Saïx, Kirux was always the first one to be there and cheer me up. He would stay by my side for days on end whenever I would fall into those comas, and he was always there whenever I would wake up from one of them."

Her hands went over her chest as she continued, "I don't know when it had happened, but not very long after he joined, I started falling for him. I fell for him because he made me...happy. He made feel wanted. He made me feel...like I had a heart, and he's the reason why I do today."

She shook her head, "I know I pretty much abandoned you and Roxas, and Kirux understands that he did too. But, you should know that the only reason Kirux and I are here right now is because of you. We came here because we wanted to bring you both back, because...we missed you. We still cared about you, even when it seemed like we could've cared less about you. I mean, Kirux loves you guys like you're his _brothers_ , and to be honest, I feel the same way."

She looked back up at Lea, "So yeah. I get that you're upset, and I understand why. But...Kirux loves me, and I love him just as much. I'm not gonna change the way I feel because it makes you or anyone else upset. The reason I seem so obsessive is because...I'm terrified of losing him, because if I do, I'll be alone..."

...

Right when she finished, the door she had entered a little bit ago opened, and Kirux stepped through the doorway.

He smiled, walking towards the two of them, "Are you two catching up without me? How rude of you both."

Xion smiled back at him, "It's not our fault you showed up late, just like you always did."

"Haha, very funny. Anyways, I've gotta head out for a little bit. There's...something I need to take care of."

Xion raised an eyebrow, "Really? What is it?"

"It's a surprise." He said, putting a finger over his lips, "Can't tell anybody."

Xion shook his head, "You always have to keep secrets, don't you?"

Kirux laughed, "Everybody does, Shi." He kissed her forehead, speaking immediately afterward, "I won't be gone long, but while I'm out, you two place nice. Okay?"

Xion rolled her eyes, "Alright. Just get out of here, will ya?"

Kirux laughed again, walking out the same way he had come in.

...

Xion looked over at Lea, speaking softly, "I hope what I said helps you understand."

She left the room, heading up to Master Yen Sid's chamber.

Lea looked down at the ground, leaning back against the wall and sighing heavily, "I do now, Xion. But...it would have been good to know back then..."

* * *

 **Man, so much has happened since I last updated.**

 **I graduated high school. I went to college orientation, and I will be moving in in August. I'm turning eighteen in ten days. I'll be a legal adult in _ten days_.**

 **It's incredible to think on how fast time has flown. Just a year ago, I was an upcoming senior writing about 358/2 Days, and now...I'm a high school graduate that's attending college in two months who's writing about Kingdom Hearts 3.**

 **And speaking of Kingdom Hearts 3, it's coming out in January of 2019. No, I'm not mad that it got delayed. I'm honestly glad it did.**

 **I don't really know what sort of point I'm trying to make, so I'll stop here. I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of part two.**

 **I'll see you all next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	30. XXX - Ties That Bind

**Hello everyone.**

 **Now that it's summer, chapters should be coming more often than before. There won't be a two or three week wait, like there was during the school year.**

 **(Yeah, this took a little bit more than I wanted, but I ended up rewriting about half of what the original was because I thought it sucked.)**

 **Also, I've decided to go back to my original writing style. What I did last time was just a little experiment, and I didn't like it that much. So I've gone back to what worked before.**

 **Anyways, let's continue.**

* * *

 _ **Play: Destiny Islands - KH ReCOM**_

* * *

"No. No. No. No. No. Aaaaaaaand no."

Kirux grunted in frustration, tossing the shells he had collected back into the sand.

It had been a few hours since he had arrived at the Destiny Islands, scouring the sands for any thalassa shells he could find.

Why was he looking for thalassa shells now?

To replace the one that Vanitas had destroyed, of course. The one that Xion had, before it was shattered.

...

Kirux sighed, "Why is it so hard to find these things? Xion made it look so easy..."

He remembered that Xion had collected seashells back when they were in the Organization. She must have gotten it done to a science, she did it that often.

Kirux smiled to himself, "I'm sure if she was here, she would have found one of those shells by now. Maybe more..."

He laughed.

...

He decided to check the other side of the island (he had been walking around the back side for about an hour now), so he headed for the door to the other side, pushing it open when he reached it.

When he opened the door to the other side, the sun blinded him. He put his hand up, shielding his eyes from the sunshine.

"It's getting late," he said, "I probably need to head back to the tower pretty soon."

He started walking forward, continuing to speak to himself, "If only I could find one of those shells..."

Right as he said that, standing underneath the bridge, he saw something glistening in the sand a few feet ahead of him.

When he got closer to it, he noticed what it was.

...

Finally, what he was looking for the entire time.

A thalassa shell, one that looked nearly identical to Xion's.

He walked over, picking it up out of the sand. Some sand had stuck to the front, and he dusted it off lightly with his finger.

It looked nearly identical to the shell she had before, only with a different color scheme. Her first one was purple with yellow, but this one was sky blue with yellow.

Kirux smiled, "Perfect. She is gonna love this..."

...

He looked back out at the sun, watching as it slowly started to fall.

As he stared, he started to notice something to his left.

To be more accurate, some _one_.

Somebody was sitting on the curved tree, watching the sunset.

And it was someone that Kirux recognized.

"Isn't that...Kairi?" He said to himself.

He walked over to the shack, entering and finding his way to the top. Once he got closer, he was able to confirm that it was Kairi.

...

...

...

He walked even closer, reaching the island with the curved tree.

"Kairi?" He said out loud, knocking her out of the trance she had been in.

She turned to look back at him, "...Riku? Wait, no. You're not Riku. You're...that other guy."

"What was your name again? I'm sorry, but I just can't remember."

Kirux laughed lightly, "It's okay. My name's Kirux."

"That's what it was! I knew that I knew what it was."

...

She laughed too, "So, what are you doing here?"

Kirux walked closer, standing at the end of the tree, "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

"Well, I live on these islands, for one. And, well...who doesn't like watching a nice sunset in the evening?"

Kirux leaned back on the end of the tree, "You're right about that."

He continued, "I came here to look for something, something I know you can only find here."

"Really? What's that?"

He pulled the thalassa shell out, handing it to her, "This. I got it for Xion."

Kairi grabbed it, looking it over and stroking it lightly, "Wow...it's great. She'll love it."

She handed it back to Kirux, him speaking, "Thanks. She had one before, but...she lost it a little bit ago."

Kairi smiled, "You two must be really close..."

Kirux shrugged, "You could say that. We've been together for a while, it's...almost to the point where I can't remember a long stretch of time when she _wasn't_ around."

...

"You know," Kairi said, no longer looking at the sunset, "Xion is lucky."

"Huh?"

"No matter what happens, she's always got you to turn to. You two are always there for each other, and...you've both found someone that you care about."

"Did Riku tell you about her and I?"

"A little. He said he could tell how you felt about her really early on, whenever you would talk about her. You would get that look in your eyes, that...well, you know what I mean."

Kirux looked down, "Well," he smiled, "That's a little embarrassing."

Kairi continued, "I'm just sort of, I dunno, jealous of you two."

"Really? Why's that?"

...

"I can't really explain it, but...you and Xion always have each other to turn to. No matter what, you guys know you can rely on one other."

She sighed, "I'm not really sure, but...I just wish that either Sora or Riku were like you, and how you are with Xion."

She looked over at Kirux, "You understand what I mean?"

...

Kirux pushed himself up onto the tree, "Do you really feel that way?"

Kairi nodded, "A little, yeah. I just feel, I don't know, excluded. It's as if Sora and Riku forget I even exist sometimes. I mean...they've been on all of these crazy adventures, and where was I? Stuck here on this island, alone..."

"It's like they've forgotten about me, and it's...I don't know."

...

"Wow," Kirux said, "I...wasn't expecting all of that. That's how you've felt this whole time?"

Kairi nodded, "Ever since they've left."

"Well, uhh..." Kirux stuttered, looking down at the ground.

 _'What am I gonna say?'_ He thought to himself.

...

Then, he remembered something.

"You know Kairi...you saying that helped me remember something."

"Really? What was it?"

"I'm sure if Naminé were here, she would be able to confirm it. But...while us and Riku were trying to wake Sora up, and I started to realize my feelings for Xion, you know who Naminé would constantly compare the two of us to?"

Kairi raised an eyebrow, "Who?"

"Sora...and you."

She gasped, "Really?"

"Yeah. And not only that, but Sora's memories of you were the final pieces we needed in order to wake him up. Once we finally got them, he was able to awaken."

"In reality, _you_ were the key to waking him up, if you think about it."

For a split second, he thought about telling her how they got the memories back, but decided against it almost immediately.

"And with Riku, well...he's Riku. He doesn't seem like he wants to talk about his feelings, like ever."

Kairi laughed at that, "Yeah. You're right about that."

"Yeah, but...even though he may not show it, I know that deep down, Riku cares about you. And so does Sora."

"So what I'm trying to say is...don't let yourself think that Sora and Riku have forgotten about you, or that they don't care. They _do_. They do a lot. I just think they don't want to put you in harm's way. You know what I'm saying?"

"Yeah. Thanks Kirux."

Kirux shrugged, "Hey. It was nothing."

...

...

...

After a few minutes, Kirux hopped off of the tree.

"Well, I'd better get back to Master Yen Sid. Xion is probably worried sick about me."

"Is she like that often?"

He sighed, looking back at her, "Way too often."

He waved, "See you around, Kairi."

He walked off.

...

He got about halfway across the bridge before she called to him.

"Hey Kirux! Wait!"

He turned around, "What's up?"

He wasn't able to do anything else before the object was flying towards him, and he was barely able to catch it.

When he looked down, he noticed it was some sort of fruit. It was shaped like a star.

"It's a gift, a token of me saying thanks."

"That's great, but...what is it?"

Kairi walked closer to him, "You've never heard of the paopu fruit?"

"Kairi, I've haven't been around as long as you think. There's a lot of things that I don't know."

She laughed, "Okay, well legend says that if two people share one of those, their destinies will become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives, no matter what..."

She smiled, "I think you know what to do with it."

Then, she walked past Kirux, "Bye Kirux!"

Kirux heard the door open behind him, but he never reacted to it.

He was too enthralled by what she had said to him.

 _"They'll remain a part of each other's lives, no matter what..."_

"No matter what..." He said to himself.

He turned, exiting through a corridor of light.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Destiny Islands - KH ReCOM**_

* * *

Kirux was ascending Master Yen Sid's tower when he ran into Lea.

"Hey Axel." He said as they got close to each other.

Lea noticed him walking towards him, "Oh hey, there you are. Where'd you head off to?"

"Destiny Islands. Had to get something, also ran into Kairi while I was there."

"Really? What did you go there for?"

Kirux reached into his pocket, pulling out the thalassa shell and showing it off to him.

"You remember how Xion liked to collect seashells? Well, she had one before, but...she lost it during the last journey we went on. So, I decided to go and get her a new one."

...

Lea smiled, "Well, aren't you the nicest?"

He ruffled Kirux's hair, who swatted his arm away, "Hey!"

Lea laughed, "So, what did you and Kairi talk about?"

Kirux put the shell back in his pocket, "Not much. Just stuff about Sora and Riku. Nothing important really."

"But," he said, reaching for his back pocket, "She did give me something."

"Well, show it off."

"I will, but...don't tell Xion about it, this nor the shell. I want it to be a surprise."

"My lips are sealed. Now, show me what you got, will you?"

...

Kirux pulled out the paopu fruit, showing it to him, "This."

Lea looked it over, but was confused, "What is it?"

"It's a paopu fruit. Kairi gave it to me."

"Well, that's cool and all, but...what is it for? What makes it so special?"

...

Kirux was staring at the fruit as he spoke, "Well, according to Kairi...if two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They will remain a part of each other's lives, no matter what..."

"Oh," Lea said, "I see...I assume you're gonna share it with you-know-who?"

"Who else would it be? I mean...she's meant so much to me ever since we first met. She was the one that made me see the light inside of my dark heart. Even after all of the terrible things I did in the past, she's been there for me. I couldn't be more grateful to have her in my life, and...I want it to stay that way, forever..."

...

After a few seconds of silence, Lea sighed, "I had a feeling you would something like that..."

"Huh?"

Lea crossed his arms over his chest and looked away, "Kirux, when you ran into Xion and I earlier, we weren't catching up."

"Oh...then what were you two doing?"

"Well, how do you put this? I was...questioning her..."

"Questioning her? About what?"

"About you, and her, and how I think she was a little...obsessive."

He rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, she...didn't take it very well. I think that's the angriest I've ever seen her get."

...

Kirux cocked his head to the side, "Why would you ask something like that?"

"Because Kirux, I..."

Lea shook his head, but Kirux pressed him, "You're gonna explain it to me, whether you like it or not."

...

Lea sighed, "Because Kirux, you don't understand how it feels."

"How what feels?"

"To be left...alone. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you and Xion are together and that you're happy. But...come on, man. Roxas and I were your friends too, and it just seemed like you forgot about us both because you wanted to be with Xion constantly."

"I guess I just got...lonely, you know? It wasn't the same without you and Xion. It seemed like you were only interested in everything that involved Xion and...whatever it was you were doing to wake up Sora."

"You understand what I'm saying?"

...

Kirux thought it over, and...Lea was completely right.

Not once had he ever added him or Roxas into the equation.

 _'I really did abandon them, did I?'_

...

"You're right..." He said softly.

Lea looked back at him, "The more I think about it, you're completely right. I really did forget about you and Roxas. I was...too selfish to even take you into consideration."

He looked up at Lea, "Axel, or...Lea, I'm really sorry. It won't happen again, I swear."

...

Lea just smiled, "Well, you should go tell that to that crazy girlfriend you've got."

"I'm telling her you said that."

"Please don't. She's mad at me enough already."

Kirux laughed, "I won't. But...I really should talk to her about it, that and the obsession thing you mentioned earlier."

"You really need to. You should have seen her when you went to rescue Sora from Xehanort. It's like she was constantly having a panic attack."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

Kirux sighed, "Why does she always have to act like that?"

He shook his head, "Never mind. I'll talk to her about it. Any idea where she is?"

Now Lea shook his head, "Nope. Haven't seen her since you left. Got any ideas of where she could have gone?"

Kirux crossed his arms over his chest, "Just one..."

* * *

 _ **Play: At Dusk, I Will Think of You... - KH 358/2 Days**_

* * *

Sure enough, Kirux's first guess was correct.

When he peeked around the corner, Xion was sitting on the ledge, watching the sunset all alone.

He turned the corner, speaking to her, "You weren't at the tower when I got back. I was a little worried."

She shrugged, not even bothering to look at him, "I guess I just wanted to be alone..."

"Well, do...you mind if I join you?" He asked.

She just shrugged, "I'm not gonna stop you, so..."

With that, Kirux walked over, and sat next to her right.

...

For a few minutes, neither of them said anything. Xion was looking lightly to her left, away from Kirux.

Finally, Kirux broke the silence, "Axel told me what happened between you two."

Xion said nothing.

"And Xion...I think he's right, to an extent."

Immediately when he said that, she turned to him, "What do you mean he's right?"

"Xion, just here me o-,"

"No, I won't. He's jealous, just like Roxas was. And he clearly doesn't want us to be together because of it."

She looked away again, "Some friend he is..."

...

"Xion, you've got him all wrong."

She looked back at him, as he continued, "The reason he was like that is because...he said he got lonely. If you think about, we left them behind. We...abandoned them, our best friends."

"If you want insult someone about being terrible friends, you...should be mad at us, or...really me. You can't blame Axel for being upset with us for leaving them behind."

"That doesn't excuse the fact that he said I'll do it again. In fact, it makes me want to now."

"Xion, stop. You can't act like this."

"Who says that I can't?"

"I'm saying you can't!" He said a little too loudly.

Her face changed, from anger to...well, he didn't really know.

...

Nevertheless, he continued, "I don't know what's gotten into you, Xion, but you've been a nervous wreak for months now. Every time something happens to me, you've acted as if my life is in total danger and I'm gonna end up dead somehow. Axel told me you were like that when I went to go save Sora, and you've done it many times before then as well."

"Just...what happened to you? You were always willing to take my side whenever we were faced with conflict, not try and run from it as fast as you can. You were always willing to fight and do what was right, not stand back and worry about every bad scenario that could possibly happen."

Xion remained silent as he continued, "Over the last few months, you haven't been...well, _you_. It's like you're...a whole different person, one that I don't recognize."

He brought his left hand up to her cheek, resting it there, "I don't want to lose _you_ , Xion."

...

Initially, she didn't say anything. Only reaching up and grabbing the hand that was resting on her cheek.

Then, she spoke, her eyes falling, "I'm sorry...I don't know what's gotten into me."

"I'm not sure what it is, but...whenever I'm not with you, or close to you, I feel...alone. I'm scared that if I let you go, I'll never get you back. That if you leave me, I'll never see you again..."

"That's why I started acting the way I did. I was scared, no, _terrified_...that I would lose you."

She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against, "I _can't_ lose you, Kirux. If I do, I'll be all alone, and...I don't what I'd do without you here with me..."

...

"Xion, you didn't have to change to get me to stay."

He started brushing strands of her hair out of her eyes, "I ever leave, you can trust that I will _always_ come back to you, no matter what happens. And even if I do end up disappearing, I'll always be right here," he put his other hand over her heart, "in your heart..."

"I love you, Xion. And I don't plan on stopping anytime soon."

Xion responded lightly, "I love you too, Kirux..."

...

...

...

After that, the two of them sat and watched the sunset, Xion having rested her head on his shoulder, while Kirux was resting his on top of hers.

"Hey Kirux?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think...we'll be together like this forever?"

Kirux's mind went to the paopu fruit.

 _'They'll remain a part of each other's lives, no matter what...'_

He smiled, "Yeah," then he kissed the top of her head lightly, "I think we will..."

* * *

 **Even after the heavy editing, I still don't like this chapter. Oh well...**

 **Anyways, it's 2:15 A.M.** _(Yeah. This is what I put myself through for you guys. You're_ _welcome)_ **on June 23rd at the time of me uploading. I'm eighteen years old.**

 **I'm an adult now...jeez, where did the time go?**

 **Anyways, hope you enjoyed. Until next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	31. XXXI - The Misguided Master

**Hello everyone.**

 **Let's continue forward, no questions asked.**

 _(I do want to say thank you, as "The Soldier of Darkness" has now surpassed over 10,000 views. Thank you all.)_

* * *

 ** _Play: Magical Mystery - KH2_**

* * *

"You know, I think it's time we all finally ditch these old things." Kirux said, fidgeting with the fabric of his coat.

"Why do you think that?" Lea asked him.

"I don't know. They're just...old, and I don't think we should be walking around looking like our enemies. Don't you agree?"

Xion looked down at her own coat, "Eh. He's right, Axel. Besides, aren't you bored of wearing this same black coat everyday?"

"Well, unlike you two, I learned appreciate the things I have and not complain. I guess you two haven't learned that skill yet."

"Hey, I'm plenty grateful of what I have! But that doesn't mean you can't _want_ more."

Lea shrugged, "If you say so."

...

Kirux flopped backwards onto the bed, "Ugh, I'm so bored. Are we gonna do something or just let Xehanort win?"

"Master Yen Sid said we can't do anything until Sora comes back." Xion responded from beside him, her still sitting up.

"Well, when did he leave?"

"A few days ago. At least two or three."

Kirux groaned, "Man, is he _ever_ coming back?"

"When did you become so whiny?" She asked him.

"When did _you_ become such a control freak?"

"I am NOT a control freak!"

"You are too."

"Are not!"

Lea smiled, "Are you two just gonna argue all day?"

Kirux looked up at him, "We haven't been arguing up to this point."

"No, but you've been complaining, and that is much worse."

...

Kirux sat back up, "I don't see how."

"Don't worry about it. Besides, Sora will be back soon from whatever he's doing."

"He didn't tell anyone where he was going?"

"He didn't tell _us_. The others I doubt he was able to keep it from."

Kirux frowned, "They could have at least given us a heads up."

"Oh, quit the complaining. Something will come up, you just have to give it time."

...

Immediately after Lea had said that, the door opened, and Mickey walked into the room.

"Your Majest- I mean...Mickey," Kirux said, standing up from the bed, "How can we help you?"

"The Master requested you in the chamber. He has something for you all."

"Just me?"

"All of you, of course. Riku and a new guest we have are here too."

Kirux cocked his head to the side, "A new guest?"

"If you want to know who it is, head on up."

Mickey leaves the room, right as Xion and Lea both rise.

"Huh. I wonder who this "guest" he mentioned is." Lea said.

"Yeah. I do too."

...

...

...

As the three of them ascended, Kirux spoke up, "Alright, let's see if we can guess who that new guest Mickey mentioned will be."

"Umm...why?"

"I dunno, why not? Add a little bit of fun to this yawn fest. So, who wants to go first?"

Xion just laughed at him, while Lea shook his head.

"Man, you guys are no fun. Alright, fine. I've got munny on...Kairi."

"Kairi? Why Kairi?" Xion asked.

"I dunno. Couldn't really think of anyone else." He said, rubbing the back of his head.

"What do you think, Axel?"

Lea shrugged, "I dunno, you guys. Why are you even asking?"

"Man, Kirux was right. You really are no fun."

Lea looked away from the two and whispered to himself, "Guess not having them around wasn't so bad...if they were this obnoxious."

"What was that?" Kirux said to him.

"Nothing."

...

...

...

They finally reached Yen Sid's chamber, and Kirux pushed the door open.

When he saw who was standing next to Riku, he smiled.

"I called it." He said to Xion and Lea, then he fully entered the room, "Hey Kairi. I didn't expect to see you here."

Kairi didn't react like he had expected, because when she saw Lea, she took a step back.

"You again!" She yelled at him, much to the surprise of everybody.

...

"Wait, what? You know Lea?" Riku said to Kairi.

"It was him! He's the guy that kidnapped me before!"

"He what?" Said Riku, Xion, and Kirux all at the same time.

Kirux turned back to Lea, "Axel, is that true?"

He looked down, rubbing his hair, "Maybe..."

"Why in the world would you do something like that?"

"Listen, it was a mistake. A HUGE mistake. I..."

He looked up at Kairi, "I'm sorry. Really."

Kairi just glared at him.

...

...

...

Yen Sid cleared his throat then spoke, "If you are all finished, I believe we all have business to attend to."

The five of them all turned their attention towards Yen Sid, who continued speaking, "Each and everyone one of you has a very important role to fill. However, we are not fully prepared for what is to inevitably come."

"Lea and Kairi, you both are new Keyblade wielders and this is not a suitable location for your training. While Riku, Kirux, and Xion are all worthy Keyblade Masters, I cannot assign all of them to oversee your training."

"Hold on," Kirux said, "Kairi, YOU can wield the Keyblade too?"

She looked at him and smiled, "Yeah, apparently. Kind of cool, huh?"

He smiled back, "Yeah. It really is."

...

"Anyways," Master Yen Sid continued, "I will be sending both of you somewhere more suitable for your training, with one of these three accompanying you to oversee your progress."

"I'll go with them. You can count on me." Riku said.

"No way. I'm not going anywhere with him." Kairi said, motioning her head towards Lea.

Lea seemed upset, but Kirux immediately came to his defense, "Kairi, I've known Axel for a long time. He's one of my best friends, and while what he did was bad, I admit, I trust him with my life."

He smiled at her, "And you can too. You just gotta give him a chance."

Kairi thought it over, speaking after a few seconds, "Okay, if you say so..."

Lea tapped Kirux on the shoulder, smiling at him.

Kirux knew what he was trying to say, and winked at him.

...

"Riku, I trust you remember the site for their training?"

Riku nodded to him, "Yes sir. Radiant Garden, right?"

"Correct. Once there, the wizard Merlin and the three good fairies will be there to assist you so you may need it."

"Got it." Then, Riku turned back to Kairi and Lea, "Let's head out, you two."

Kirux took a step forward, "Hey, what about us? Are Xion and I gonna do something?"

"In due time." Yen Sid said.

Kirux groaned, looking down at the ground, causing Xion and Lea to both shake their heads.

"However," Yen Sid said again, "I do have something for you two, Riku as well."

Kirux looked back up, "Huh?"

...

Yen Sid waved his hand, and three cases appeared on the table before him.

"The three good fairies were also kind enough to provide these new garments to the three of you. Besides, I believe it's time you and Xion dispose of those Organization coats."

"But, won't we lose the protection from the darkness that these have?" Xion asked him.

"Of course not. They will still protect you from the darkness, as well as keep yourselves hidden from the Organization."

Xion elbowed Kirux lightly, whispering to him, "Looks like you got what you wanted."

"Yeah, and I'm not complaining this time."

Him and Xion grabbed two of the cases, while Riku walked up and grabbed the third.

"Thank you, Master." The three of them said in unison, causing them all to laugh.

"Now Riku, you, Kairi, and Lea must be going. Kirux and Xion, return once you've finished switching into your new clothes."

Kirux nodded, while Riku said, "Yes sir."

The five of them all left the chamber, leaving Master Yen Sid and Mickey (who somehow managed to not make himself known during that whole exchange).

* * *

"Now _this_. This is more like it." Kirux said, fidgeting with the wristband on his right wrist.

His new outfit was as follows: A black vest with a hood on the back, a white t-shirt underneath, the aforementioned black wristband on his right wrist, black pants and black shoes.

Kirux turned back towards Xion, "What do you think?"

Xion's new outfit was very similar to his, but with a few minor differences: same black vest and white t-shirt, but with black pants that stopped right above her knees and shoes that were a similar style to the ones she wore with her Organization coat. Apart from that, they looked practically the same.

"I don't know..." Xion responded to him, running her hand down through her hair.

"What's the matter?" He said, walking closer to her.

"I'm not entirely sure. I just feel like...I'm missing something."

...

Then, she remembered, gasping lightly, "My thalassa shell!"

She went back over to her coat, grabbing it and digging through the pockets, "What happened to it? I never took that thing off, so why is it not here?"

Kirux just watched her, feeling terrible.

He knew what had happened to it, but...he couldn't tell her that. It would only make her more upset.

So, he lied to her, "I don't know. You must have lost it during that last journey."

"You haven't seen it, have you?"

Kirux shook his head, painfully.

...

Xion sighed, putting her old coat back down, "I can't believe I lost it..."

She held her head down low, which made Kirux feel even worse.

"Hey," he said, walking closer and placing his hand on her shoulder, "It's okay. We'll find you a new one, once this is over."

He smiled, "Besides, even without it," he traced the edge of her face lightly, "I think you still look great..."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah, but...not as good as me, obviously."

...

She punched him in the arm pretty roughly.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"You deserved that."

"I did not!"

"You did too!"

"That was uncalled for, and you know it!"

"Quit being a baby and let's go!"

She grabbed his hand, and dragged him out of the room.

"I'm one-hundred percent getting back at you for that."

She rolled her eyes.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Magical Mystery - KH2**_

* * *

Kirux and Xion reentered Master Yen Sid's chamber.

"Master, make sure to give the three fairies my compliments. Those coats were getting really annoying."

Xion sighed, "You're such a whiny brat. The coats were fine."

"Whatever! You were getting sick of them too."

...

...

...

"Anyways...what now, Master? Now that Riku is gone and Sora is still not back, what is there for us to do?"

Right after he said that, the door to the right opened up.

And the one that entered the room surprised everyone.

* * *

 _ **Play: Aqua - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Aqua shuffled into the room, rubbing her eyes.

"Master...Yen Sid..." she said lightly, clearly still tired from sleeping(?).

"Master Aqua...at last, you have fully recovered."

"I believe so, Master. I might not be 100% right now, but...I'll get there..."

...

Xion smiled brightly, "Aqua!"

She walked over to her, "You're okay! I can't believe it."

Aqua herself smiled to Xion through her groggy eyes, "It's...good to see you again, Xion. It's been awhile."

"Yeah, it really has been. I'm glad you're okay, having been stuck in the realm of darkness for so long."

"I'm fine now, Xion. But, thanks for the c-,"

...

She looked over at...well.

 _'Wait a second...'_

 _'It can't be...Are my eyes playing tricks on me?'_

Aqua rubbed her eyes, and her sudden change got Xion, "Aqua, what's wrong?"

Even after rubbing her eyes, she still saw the same thing.

Xion noticed who she was looking at.

It was...Kirux?

...

"T-Terra..? Is...that you?" Aqua said, taking one small step towards Kirux, who was frozen in place.

Inside Kirux's heart, Terra was breaking down.

And for a second, he took control of Kirux.

"Aqua..." he was just able to get out, just before losing control over Kirux.

He quickly brought his hand up to his chest.

 _'Hey! This is MY heart, you_ _know!_ ' He yelled at Terra, but didn't get a response.

"Kirux, do you...know Aqua..?" Xion asked him.

"No, that...wasn't me...it was-,"

...

Kirux was cut off by someone crashing into him.

Aqua had closed the gap between him and her so quickly that he couldn't have reacted, and her arms her tightly locked around him.

Kirux could hear her crying, and at that moment, could not have felt more awkward.

Meanwhile, Aqua was lightly speaking between her light sobs, "I'm so glad you're okay, Terra..."

...

...

...

Kirux looked over at Xion, the look in his eyes begging for assistance. He even mouthed the word "Help" towards her silently.

But she shook her head, mouthing to him "Talk to her."

So, Kirux spoke out loud, "Umm, Master Aqua. I'm...not Terra."

Aqua immediately stopped, and pulled back. When she looked at his face, it was entirely different.

He was right. He wasn't Terra.

"Who...are you?"

"Well, I'm...Kirux, and...man, this is awkward..." He said, letting out a laugh that had no humor.

Aqua released Kirux, standing up fully. Kirux let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"I don't understand. When I looked at you the first time, I...saw Terra, not you."

"Yeah," Kirux said, rubbing his hair lightly, "It's a long story. I'm...pretty sure Master Yen Sid knows."

...

Aqua turned to Yen Sid, who spoke, "Yes, it is better that I explain."

"You see, Aqua. Your attempt to free Terra's heart from Xehanort ultimately failed, and his heart was lost for many long years."

"So...Terra is still lost..?" She asked.

"Quite the contrary. In fact, Terra's heart is with us, in this very room."

"Then, that means..."

"Terra's heart is trapped inside mine." Kirux said, his arms crossed over his chest.

...

...

...

"How did this happen?"

Kirux shrugged, "Beats me. All I know is that his heart flew into my chest one day, and then I started having his memories play in my dreams. Not only that, but in the Sleeping Worlds, I...think I was starting to use more of his power, even during my last fight against Xehanort."

He shook his head, "I don't like it as much as you do, Master Aqua. But...you needed to know the truth."

"I see..."

She turned back to Master Yen Sid, "Master, I know that I've just come out of recovery, but...if Terra is inside Kirux here, at least he's safe."

"But Ventus, he's still out there. He's still waiting for me to go and wake him up. So, I'm going to go find him."

"Of course, Aqua. Ventus is the utmost priority right now."

"Right." She nodded, and turned towards the door.

...

"Aqua, wait." Xion said, making her stop.

She turned back, and Xion spoke again, "Let us go with you. Kirux and I."

"Xion, you don't have to help me. I can do this on my own."

"I don't doubt that, but...Ventus is our friend too. And besides, we're Keyblade Masters now, me and Kirux both. We _can_ help you, you just have to let us."

Xion was smiling at her when she finished.

Aqua looked over towards Kirux, who was still standing there looking at her kind of weirdly.

Her hugging him randomly really didn't help.

But, to her surprise, he smiled at her and nodded.

That caused Aqua to smile as well.

"Okay. Thank you, both of you."

Aqua looked back at Master Yen Sid, "Master, we'll be back with Ventus soon."

* * *

 **Just to be clear: This was planned BEFORE (as in a time that happened prior to) the E3 trailers. And, if you remember the first story that Aqua actually escaped during the R.O.D with Xion and Kirux. That explains why she is here and why she is not 'Norted.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading. See you all next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	32. XXXII - The Broken Boy

**This chapter was rewritten entirely at least three times. That and a couple of technical problem.s That's why it's so late. Sorry for the inconvenience.**

 **Please do keep going. I don't want you all to have to wait any longer.**

* * *

"So, where do we have to go Master?" Kirux said, stepping down onto the grass.

"You don't have to call me "Master," you know. Just Aqua is fine."

"Sorry. I just didn't want to leave a bad impression."

Aqua smiled at him, "It's fine, Kirux. Besides, we're all friends here, aren't we?"

Kirux rubbed the back of his head, "I guess so, yeah."

...

"Anyways," Xion said, walking up next to Aqua, "Back to the first question, where exactly do we have to go to find Ventus?"

Aqua walked up to the edge, "Well, I already know where to go."

"You do?"

"Yes. He's hidden somewhere safe, somewhere that only I would know about."

"Well, where is it?"

Aqua didn't respond initially, just staring out into space.

Then, she put her arm out to the side, and her Keyblade appeared in her hand.

To her left, right where her Keyblade was pointing, a portal of light appeared.

Aqua turned towards her left, "We just have to head through there."

"Well, that's convenient." Kirux said.

Aqua walked straight through, Xion and Kirux following directly behind him.

* * *

"Okay, start talking!"

"You were gone a long time. What were you doin'?"

"Heh heh heh. Secret."

...

Sora opened the door to the chamber quickly, saying "I'm back!" when it opened.

His excitement quickly faded when he looked around the room, and found it empty, apart from Master Yen Sid.

"Huh? Just us?"

"The others all had important work to do. So I sent them on their way."

Sora crossed his arms over his chest, "That's great. They coulda said good-bye."

Donald pointed at Sora, "It's your fault you missed them."

"It is not. I just like to say good-bye to all my friends."

"Then do it faster!"

Sora looked down at him, "I'm here now, right?"

"We have matters to discuss." Yen Sid said, ending Sora and Donald's little argument.

...

The trio stood at attention, as Yen Sid spoke, "In order to defeat Xehanort, there are allies we must gather, acting now to rouse them from their slumber."

"We have discussed this before, Sora."

The three nodded.

"Your Mark of Mastery exam was conducted in the hopes that you would acquire the power to wake them."

Sora's arms went back across his chest, and he looked down, "However, the darkness took control of you, and your grasp of your new abilities leaves much to be desired."

"Furthermore, Xehanort made you his vessel, and in the process stripped you of most of the power you had gained by then. I suspect you already noticed this, correct?"

...

Sora continued to look down at the ground, which upset Donald and Goofy a good bit.

"Sora..." They said.

But, Sora just looked back up and said, "Whatever! Happens all the time."

"Yes. Kirux and Xion have already begun the task of bringing back the lost hearts we need. I have very high hopes for the two of them. After all, Kirux is the reason you are standing here today."

"However, our greatest chance of stopping Xehanort's plan...still lies with you, Sora."

* * *

 _ **Play: Sora - KH2**_

* * *

"If you trust the guidance your heart gives, I know we will find all of the guardians of light."

"But first, you must regain all the strength you have lost. Perhaps it is foolish to expect a complete recovery, but it is absolutely vital you perfect one power - the power of waking, which you failed to master during your exam."

"There's someone who lost his strength, and found it again, a true hero who you ought to pay a visit."

When Sora heard that, he started smiling, "Perhaps he can point you in the right direction."

Sora nodded, and saluted, "Got it!"

...

"Master Yen Sid..." Donald said.

"You can count on us to take care of Sora!"

"I would have it no other way. I put Sora in your hands."

Sora stepped forward, wrapping one arm around each of them and pulling them towards him, "Donald! Goofy!"

"You can't become a master without us!" Donald said.

"Huh?"

"I never woulda thought you'd fail that exam, Sora." Goofy said now.

"Hey!"

"Face it, you're just a half-pint."

"But the three of us together make a whole pint."

"Pint an a half."

...

"And don't forget, we'll keep an eye on you."

Donald put his hand out as Goofy spoke, "Oh, this is gonna be lots of fun!"

He put his forward too, as Sora spoke finally, "It's not a vacation."

Then, he smiled, slamming his hand on top of theirs, "Let's go!"

They all turned to Master Yen Sid, saying "Count on us!"

They all filed out very quickly.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Sora - KH2**_

* * *

The surface underneath their feet changed from grassy to sandy.

When Aqua looked up and saw where they were, she spoke.

"This is it." She said, just as Kirux and Xion stepped out to her left and right.

When they looked up, they both gasped.

"But...this place is..." Kirux stuttered.

* * *

 _ **Play: Castle Oblivion - KH Re:COM**_

* * *

"You're telling us Ventus is in Castle Oblivion?"

Aqua looked over at her, "Castle Oblivion? Is that what you call it?"

"Well, yeah. That's what everyone calls it. Well, except for you, apparently..."

Aqua looked away from her, and walked towards the doors.

"Hey, hold on," Kirux said, making Aqua stop, "This place clearly is familiar to you."

"So?" She said, turning around to him.

"So...aren't you going to explain that to us?"

...

Aqua relented, and started speaking, "Back long ago, this used to be my home. Terra and Ven's too. Unfortunately, Xehanort destroyed it, and it nearly fell to darkness."

She turned back to the doors and looked up at the castle, "My Master told me that if darkness ever was to threaten this place, that I had to take his Keyblade and seal it away, which...is what I did."

"I hid Ventus here, so that nobody would ever find him. And...it looks like we've already failed, if you know about this place."

"Well, the Organization has been here plenty of times, but...they never found Ventus, I think..." Xion said.

Aqua looked back at Kirux, "Are you satisfied with that?"

"Uhh...I guess..." Kirux said, rubbing the back of his head.

Aqua went back to walking towards the doors, grabbing one of the door handles and pushing it open.

...

...

...

The entrance hall was the same as always. All white walls, pillars, and floors. The same golden doors. Same everything.

Kirux spoke out as he looked around, "This place brings back some memories."

"Any good ones?" Xion asked him.

"Not that I could think of."

Aqua turned around, "You two have been here before?"

"Yeah, and it was...not a time I like to remember."

"Why's that?"

Kirux looked over at Xion, then back at Aqua, "I'd rather not talk about it, if that's okay with you."

"That's fine." She said, and continued forward.

...

"So, what exactly happened to your Master?" Xion asked Aqua after the silence had begun to drag on.

"Xion, that's a sensitive topic."

"Sorry. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"No, it's okay. You two should know anyways."

She sighed before speaking, "It was...Master Xehanort. He was the one that struck down my Master, and destroyed this place. That's why the castle is here now."

"That's...not entirely true." Kirux said.

"Huh?" Xion and Aqua said simultaneously.

"Terra was there too, you know. He saw it all happen."

"How do you know that?"

"Don't you remember what I told you? Terra's heart is inside mine. And because I have his heart, I have access to some of his memories."

He put a hand over his chest, "That one particular memory is not one I enjoy thinking of."

"I see..." Aqua said, not speaking again after that.

...

All of a sudden, Kirux stopped walking, which made Xion stop herself.

"Are you okay?" She asked him as Aqua stopped and turn back towards them.

When Kirux didn't respond, Xion walked closer to him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Kirux." She said, shaking him lightly.

Her doing that knocked him out of his trance, as he blinked about three times.

"What happened?"

"You just stopped for no reason. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just zoned out for a second."

He started walking, but Xion stopped him after only one step, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Trust me, Xion. I'm okay. Now come on, let's go find Ven."

She released his shoulder, and the two started walking towards Aqua again.

...

...

...

Kirux had gotten ahead, so Aqua trailed back so she could talk to Xion.

"Okay, you have to tell me. What's going on between you and Kirux?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on, Xion. I'm not blind. It's not hard to see that you two are more than friends. Am I wrong?"

Xion looked away, slightly embarrassed, "No, you're not wrong."

Aqua smiled, "So, what are exactly are you two?"

"I don't really know how to explain it. He's my best friend, but him and I are a lot closer than best friends are supposed to be."

"What does that mean?"

Xion shrugged, "Like I said, I don't know how to explain."

"Then at least give me this. Do you like Kirux?"

"Of course I do. He's my best frie-,"

"That's not what I mean. Do you _like_ Kirux? Like as a...y'know."

"Oh, um..." she hesitated, "Yeah, I do. I uh..."

She shook her head, "Never mind."

"You were gonna say you love him, weren't you?"

"I was."

"Why are you so embarrassed?"

"I don't know. I just...don't talk about my relationship with Kirux very often."

...

Suddenly, Kirux called to them from ahead, "Come on, you two. Keep up! And you better not be talking about me from behind my back! Literally!"

Xion and Aqua laughed at his remark, Xion speaking back, "Even if we were, there's nothing you'd be able to do about it!"

* * *

 _ **Stop: Castle Oblivion - KH Re:COM**_

* * *

After what felt like hours, they reached the thirteen floor. They were in a massive room, with one door at the far wall.

"That's it." Aqua said, pointing at the door, "That's where Ventus is."

"Wow, that was a lot easier than I expected." Kirux said.

* * *

 _ **Play: Forgotten Challenge - KH Re:COM**_

* * *

Immediately after he said that, a ring of Heartless appeared around the three of them. About eight or nine Neoshadows.

"I hate my stupid mouth." Kirux said.

"Then keep it shut." Xion said, pulling her Keyblade out. Aqua and Kirux did the same.

...

The Neoshadows simultaneously converged on the three of them, Kirux and Xion knocking some of them back, while Aqua rolled underneath them.

Aqua dispersed two that were close to getting Kirux from behind, right as Xion and Kirux took out two others.

Two of the other Neoshadows attacked Aqua, who knocked one away and took out the other. She had knocked the first one towards Xion, who struck it down easily.

Kirux took down the last two with a thunder spell, and that was it for the first wave.

...

A second after, more Neoshadows appeared, and alongside them were Dusks, around the same number.

"What are those things?" Aqua asked, referring to the Dusks.

"It doesn't matter. Just take them out!"

Kirux took out three different enemies (two Neoshadows and one Dusk) with one swipe, all three of them disappearing. Two more attacked him, and he took them out just as easily.

Xion was being surrounded by a bunch of Dusks and Neoshadows. She used her magic to gather them all in one place, and once they were all gathered, she took them all out at once with a thunder spell.

Aqua was doing much of the same, taking out anything that came anywhere near her.

Wave two was done.

...

Then, a third wave appeared. More Dusks and Neoshadows, now in even larger numbers.

"Aw, come on. Enough already." Xion said.

"Where are they all coming from?" Kirux spoke out.

Aqua said nothing, she just ran towards all of them.

"Aqua, wait!" The other two called, but she didn't stop.

All of the Neoshadows and Dusks jumped at her. That still didn't stop her.

Aqua jumped up, and swung once really hard.

She landed on the other side of all the enemies.

They all disappeared at once.

Kirux and Xion were both stunned.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Forgotten Challenge - KH Re:COM**_

 _ **Play: Thirteenth Discretion - KH Re:COM**_

* * *

"Well done, Master." A voice came from out of nowhere.

Suddenly, a person in a black coat appeared in front of the door. The door to Ventus.

"Who are you?" Aqua said to him.

...

The person removed his hood, revealing a man with long pink hair. Flower petals appeared out of nowhere when he removed his hood.

Xion gasped, "Marluxia?! What are you doing here?"

"Hello there, Xion. It's good to see you again."

Kirux looked at her, "You know this guy?"

"He was in the Organization, before you showed up. He was one of the members that was destroyed here."

"So...he's just like Larxene."

"Larxene is back too?"

"There are more of us that you don't know of, and...one more that we're wishing to add to our ranks...my old friend, Ventus."

...

"How do you know Ventus?" Aqua asked him, clutching her Keyblade harder.

"From a time long ago, one that Ventus I'm sure can't remember. But...he was a small piece in a very big puzzle, myself included. You won't be able to get the truth out of him, but I know I can..."

He smiled deviously, which made Aqua even angrier.

"I know you wish to save your two friends, Master Aqua. But unfortunately, that won't happen. Once Ventus is ours, you'll have no one left to fight for. You'll only have people to fight against."

...

"You're wrong." She said, "I will save Terra and Ven, and..."

She motioned her Keyblade towards Kirux and Xion, "My new friends will be at my side, and they'll be with me every step of the way."

Marluxia's smile disappeared.

"It is there you are mistaken..."

He put his hand up, a small flower petal floating down into his hand. A large, pink scythe appeared in his hand.

"Your so called friends won't be there for you this time..."

...

He swung his scythe once, and a massive gust of wind hit the trio.

Aqua stood her ground, but Kirux and Xion couldn't. They flew backwards, on the outside of the room.

The doors to the room slowly began to close, right as Kirux and Xion were getting back up.

"No!" "Aqua!" They yelled, getting back up.

Aqua turned back to Marluxia, "Well played..."

She ran towards him, right as the doors shut and Kirux and Xion had reached them.

...

...

...

Kirux started pulling and pushing the door, trying to get them opened, while Xion was pounding the door with her fists.

"Open up! Come on!"

Kirux finally released the door, stumbling backwards and breathing heavily, "It's no use. I can't get it opened."

"There has to be a way. We have to get in there and help her!"

"Hold on. Gimme a sec."

He thought it over, looking down at the ground thinking.

...

"Uhh, Kirux?"

"Yeah?"

"You...might want to look at what's coming..."

"Huh?"

She pointed down the hall, and Kirux looked over.

What he saw shocked him.

"What...are _you_?"

...

"Surprised? I guess you should be. After all, I look just like you."

He wasn't lying. He looked identical to Kirux...and Riku, of course. He was in the Organization coat as well.

"Another Riku clone? You've gotta be kidding me..." Xion said to herself.

Unfortunately, the clone heard her, "I'm not a clone. I'll tell you what I am. I'm an exact replica of Riku that was created from his data."

"So...a clone. A fake Riku."

"I'm not a fake! Just because he's real doesn't mean he's better. Him and I, and...I guess you too, share the same bodies and the same talents. But, there is one way to tell us all apart though."

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Kirux smirked, "This should be good..." He said to himself.

The Riku clone didn't like that.

...

"Unlike you and him, I don't fear anything. I'm not afraid of anyone, especially not you or the real Riku."

Kirux's smirk disappeared, and now he looked angry, "Are you calling me a coward?"

He took a step towards him, but Xion grabbed his elbow, "Kirux, don't. Let's not pick a fight."

"Well, he's not making it easy." He said, gritting his teeth.

Riku clone laughed, "That's it, right there."

"What?"

"That's what you're afraid of. That puppet you call a girl."

Now Xion got angry, "Hey, screw you man!"

"See what I told you?" Kirux said to her.

...

"Like I was saying, she is what you're afraid. You're so afraid of losing her in any way. It terrifies you."

Kirux gritted his teeth, "Your reaction is only proving my point."

"That doesn't make you better than me!"

"It kind of does. If I were you, I wouldn't be afraid like you are of losing someone."

"At least I have someone I care about!"

The Riku clone scoffed, "Okay, whatever. So long, you two. I bet we'll see each other again."

He ran off, into the castle.

...

...

...

Kirux sighed angrily, "I hate that guy already..."

"You do realize that guy is technically you, right?"

"Then I guess I hate myself, and Riku too."

Xion laughed, "Okay then, Kirux."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Thirteenth Discretion - KH Re:COM**_

 _ **Play: Graceful Assassin - KH Re:COM**_

* * *

Aqua ran at Marluxia, dodging his initial slash of his scythe. She swung towards him, him dodging his initial attacks.

She kept swinging at him and parrying any slashes he sent towards her.

Marluxia went on the offensive, attacking Aqua many times over and over. Aqua dodged all of his attacks, just like he had her.

"Impressive," he said, "You're faster than other Keyblade wielders I've faced."

Aqua ignored him, and fired a barrage of fireballs towards Marluxia.

One of them struck him in his left arm, causing him to yell out in pain. She took advantage of him, and attacked.

Aqua hit him with two long combos, knocking him back with the finishing blow.

...

Marluxia stood tall, now looking angry.

He used magic to conjure three tornadoes around Aqua, ones that converged on her, knocking her into the air.

After that, Marluxia would teleport into the air, throwing his scythe at her. She took many hits, but wasn't giving up.

Marluxia then teleported behind her again, striking her once. Then he did it again. And again. And again. And again. And then once more.

Now, Aqua was stumbling, holding her right side. Marluxia laughed at her.

"That enough for you?" He taunted.

"Hardly." She said.

...

She charged up energy, and when the energy burst, she was clad in an aura of white and slight purple light.

Marluxia stood his ground, clearly not fazed.

But Aqua smiled, and advanced towards him. Marluxia raised his scythe.

When he swung down, Aqua disappeared.

"What?" He said, hearing someone appear behind him.

Before he could react, Aqua was striking him. She struck him three times from behind, then teleport away. She hit him another three times, teleported away, hit him two more times, teleported away, and then hit him two more times.

Then, she teleported into the air.

She warped around in a circle, surrounding Marluxia with spikes of energy. When he was completely surrounded, the energy released, creating a large shockwave.

Aqua warped back to the ground, watching Marluxia drop his scythe, it disappearing into pink wind.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Graceful Assassin - KH Re:COM**_

* * *

"Mark my words," Marluxia said, holding his left side, "This is NOT over."

He teleported away, into a dark portal.

Aqua's Keyblade faded away, hearing the doors behind her open.

Xion and Kirux ran through, straight up to Aqua.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Xion asked her.

"Where's Marluxia?"

...

"He's gone, for now. Come on. Let's just get Ventus and get out of here."

The other two didn't object, following her towards the other door at the end of the room.

She grabbed the handles, and pulled it open.

* * *

 _ **Play: Ventus - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

When Aqua opened the door, a huge feeling of relief came over her.

Ventus was still in the chair, sleeping soundly.

Kirux and Xion were both in awe.

"He was here the whole time, and none of us knew it..." Kirux said, as Aqua advanced towards Ventus.

...

She crouched in front of him, smiling.

"I'm here now, Ven. It's time to wake up."

She looked back towards Xion and Kirux, "I'm gonna need one you guys to help."

...

"I'll do it." Xion said, "If mine and Ventus's hearts have connections to Sora's, then...I should be able to wake him up."

Aqua nodded, standing and stepping to the side.

"Alright. Go for it."

Xion walked towards Ventus, her Keyblade appearing in her hands.

She sighed, "Sora, this...is gonna hurt."

She held her Keyblade forward, light appearing at the end.

* * *

Sora was walking forward, after exiting the Gummi Ship. Donald and Goofy had gone ahead of him, and were waiting for him.

Suddenly, there was an intense pain in his chest.

He clutched his chest, collapsing to the ground.

"What is...going on..?" He yelled out in pain.

As soon as his hand fell, a heart flew out of his chest.

It sailed off, disappearing into thin air.

Sora stood back up, holding his hand back over his chest, "What was that about?"

* * *

For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Then, Kirux noticed something in the appear in the air.

He pointed at it, "Hey, look!"

Xion and Aqua saw the heart, as it floated down. It stopped at the end of Xion's Keyblade.

Xion exhaled, a smile on her face, "It worked...it actually worked!"

...

She pointed her Keyblade at Ventus, and the heart sailed slowly towards him. It entered his chest.

After a second, Ventus stirred, his eyes slowly opening.

"What..?" He said groggily.

Aqua was beaming, tears forming in her eyes, "Ventus!"

She grabbed him, hugging him tightly.

"Aqua...what happened?" He asked her.

...

Aqua pulled back, looking him in the eyes, "You've been gone for a long time...I'm so glad to see you again."

"What about Terra?"

"Don't worry. Terra will be back soon."

She stepped back, allowing Ventus to stand. Unfortunately, his legs almost gave way, so she had to support him.

Ventus looked back up, seeing Xion and Kirux.

"Xion? Kirux? What are you guys doing here?"

Xion waved at him, "Hey Ven. It's...been a while, hasn't it?"

"We came to help Aqua save you. In fact, it was Xion who woke you up."

...

Ven smiled, "Wow...thanks you guys."

"It was nothing."

Aqua spoke then, "Now, we need to go save Terra."

"What happened to him?"

Kirux responded, "It's a long story. We'll tell you on the way."

"Okay then."

Aqua let him go, and he was able to walk now, "Let's go then."

* * *

 **There we go. Finally done. I'm gonna do my best to get the next one up tomorrow, but we'll see.**

 **Just a heads up, the next one will be...sad. VERY sad. No spoilers from me, but it's just a warning.**

 **Thanks for reading. Leave a review letting me know your thoughts, and I'll see you soon**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	33. XXXIII - Feckless Youth

**I might as well not even say when I hope to put chapters out, because I almost always end up being wrong.**

 **Anyways, prepare yourself. This chapter is an emotional roller coaster.**

 **Go on and read.**

* * *

Three weeks had passed since they had awoken Ventus.

Three long, grueling weeks.

...

After the four of them had left Castle Oblivion, none of them knew where to even look for Terra. Even though Kirux was carrying his heart around, he couldn't come up with anything.

So, they just sort of wandered into the unknown, searching whatever places they just so happened to wander into.

The long time had taken its toll on Kirux. Ever since they had saved Ven, instances like when he had first encountered Aqua would happen.

He would lose control of his own body, and Terra would take over. He would talk to Ventus and Aqua, one time for hours.

The more it happened, the more angry Kirux had gotten. Terra had no right to take over his body. His heart shouldn't even have be inside of Kirux's in the first place.

Not only that, but whenever Kirux would try to make contact Terra, there would be nothing. He was silent all the time, and just showed up whenever he wanted to talk to Ventus or Aqua.

It got really old really fast, and it was affecting Kirux heavily.

* * *

He stared into what had remained of the fire, watching as it slowly died down.

Sleep had evaded him that night, just like many of the other nights these last three weeks.

Terra's antics in his heart weren't helping either.

So, Kirux would just stay up, staring at whatever was in the surrounding area. Tonight, it was the fire that Aqua had started in their little campsite.

Her and Ventus were sleeping somewhere across from him, while Xion was on the ground behind him.

She would often wake up in the night and find him awake like this. When she did, she'd do one of two things:

One: Tell him to get over himself and just go to sleep.

Two: Ask him what was wrong and stay up with him.

If you know how Xion is, then you know which option was more likely. It's the only one that makes sense.

...

Kirux heard her moving behind him, then could sense her arm brushing against his as she sat next to him.

"What is it this time?" She asked him.

Kirux shrugged, "Y'know. Most of the same, and then some."

"You wanna tell me what that "some" is?"

"You sure you wanna hear it?"

"Of course I do. Kirux, I'm here if you need to get anything off your chest."

He felt her hand find its way into his, "So come on, talk to me."

...

He sighed, "Okay then. Sometimes, I don't...feel like myself."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't explain it that well, but...sometimes, when I really think about it, I don't feel like I'm my own person."

He continued, "I mean, look at me. I look _exactly_ like Riku, with very few differences. Not only that, Terra's heart is inside of my own, which...feels like it doesn't belong to me sometimes."

"I'm just a shell, created with parts of other people. Take Riku's darkness, then Terra's heart, throw it all together, and boom. That's me. And ever since the things with Terra started, the feeling has gotten worse and worse."

"You understand what I'm trying to say, right?" He said, looking over at her.

...

"Kirux...I know exactly what you're going through."

"Don't you remember how I was created? I was made from Sora's memories of Kairi. I didn't have a soul, or...a face for that matter."

"But, it was because of the experiences I had and the memories I gained, that's what gave me what I am today. Being with you, Roxas, and Axel made me...well, me. Even then, I still look so much like Kairi."

"And let me ask you something. Was it Riku who came up to the clock tower everyday? Did Terra dive into Sora's heart, just to save me? Does Riku tell me he loves me whenever he gets the chance?"

"Well, I sure hope he doesn't. Then we'd have some issues." He responded.

She laughed, "Okay, bad example. But you get what I'm trying to say, right?"

He shrugged, "Not really..."

"Kirux, what you look like and who's in your heart doesn't make who you are. The memories you hold, and the connections you have with others, those are what make you who you are."

She smiled, "You're not Riku, and you're not Terra. You're Kirux, my best friend and...well, you're a lot more than just that. To me, at least."

...

Kirux said nothing initially, but after a second, he smiled at her.

"Thanks Shi," he said, wrapping his arm around her, pulling her into his side, "What would I do without you?"

She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder, "I dunno. I don't wanna know."

"Yeah, me neither. But seriously, Riku never told you that, right?"

Xion laughed at him, "No, you idiot."

"Okay. Just checking."

After that, they were silent.

...

...

...

"Hey Kirux?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we'll be together forever?"

Kirux looked down at her, "You already asked me that."

She pulled her head away so she could look at him, "Yeah, but after all the stuff that's happened, do you still believe that?"

...

Kirux smiled at her, "Xion, of course I do."

"You do?"

"Yeah, and nothing is going to change that."

He started stroking her hair lightly, smiling at her even more.

...

Xion didn't say anything.

Instead, she leaned forward, kissing him once lightly. When she pulled back, she smiled back at him.

"Here's hoping you're right." She said, leaning forward and kissing him again.

* * *

Whatever sleep Kirux did get was plagued by dreams.

Weird dreams, to be more accurate.

The dreams were similar to the ones he had had in the past, with flashes of memories that belonged to Terra.

But this was new.

...

He saw the Keyblade Graveyard, but...in a different area. It was clear, with some pillars around the large arena.

Out of nowhere, the wind picked up, tossing dust around everywhere.

When it cleared, there was a figure. They were in a brown suit of armor, down on their knees with a Keyblade in front of him.

Kirux could recognize the armor.

It was exactly like Terra's.

...

Then, the person stood up. They reached in front of them, grabbing the Keyblade that was in front of them.

Then, they dashed towards Kirux.

...

...

...

Kirux shot upwards, breathing heavily.

His sudden awakening had startled everyone else, who were standing nearby.

Xion walked over, crouching next to him, "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I know where to go..."

"Huh?"

Kirux stood up, "I know where to go, to find Terra."

"You do?" Ven and Aqua said simultaneously.

"I had a dream, and...I saw something. I saw a person in brown armor, at the Keyblade Graveyard. I'm pretty sure that's where Terra's body is."

"Well then, what are we waiting for? Show us the way." Ventus said.

"Okay." Kirux said, pulling his Keyblade out.

He made a portal, and the four of them went through.

* * *

Kirux was the first to step out, followed by Xion.

He looked around, saying, "This is it. This is the place I saw."

As he went forward, Aqua and Ventus walked out of the portal.

Xion sighed, which Ventus noticed.

"Does he do stuff like this often?"

"Yeah, he does. I don't know how I put up with it sometimes."

...

...

...

Kirux was looking around, the others far behind him.

"Come on, Terra. I know you're here..." He whispered to himself.

Right after he said that, the wind started to pick up, just like in the dream.

Kirux put his arm up to cover his eyes, and when he removed it, the figure was there.

 _'Terra? Tell me that's you.'_ He said in his mind.

No response.

...

 _"You..."_ Kirux heard a voice call out.

"Terra?"

 _"You...you hold it..."_

Kirux didn't respond to that one.

 _"You are the one...that holds my heart..."_

"Yeah! That's right! I'm the one that has your heart."

 _"And now..."_

...

The figure stood up, standing tall behind their Keyblade.

 _"You shall return it to me..."_

"That's what I'm here to do."

 _'This is going better than expected.'_ He thought.

He had spoken too soon.

...

The figure then reached out in front of them, grabbing the Keyblade and holding it to their side.

"Wait...what are you doing?" Kirux said, taking a step backwards.

 _"Now, give me back my heart."_

"Oh no..." Kirux said. He knew how this was going to end.

* * *

 _ **Play: Terra - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

The figure dashed forward, swinging their Keyblade hard at Kirux.

It struck him right in the stomach, and he got sent flying backwards. He crashed into a wall, some of the rocks crashing down around him. He was out before he had even hit the ground.

...

"Kirux!" Xion yelled, running over to help him. Ven and Aqua were too stunned to figure out what was happening.

Xion slid down next to Kirux, grabbing him and shaking him.

"Kirux? Kirux, wake up. Kirux, please!"

"Xion, look out!" Ven had called to her, her immediately turning. The figure was advancing towards her rapidly.

She turned away, waiting for the incoming strike.

But all she heard was the sound of metal on metal.

...

When she turned back, Aqua was standing between her and the figure, stopping his Keyblade with her own.

She threw the figure back, as Ventus ran up next to Aqua, summoning his own Keyblade (Xion was surprised to see he held his backhanded).

"Get him up! Let Ventus and I distract him!"

"Okay!"

Aqua and Ventus ran towards the figure, as Xion turned her attention back towards Kirux.

He was still breathing, thankfully, but his injuries were undoubtedly severe. That strike had to have cracked some of, if not all of, his ribs, and the impact of the wall must have caused severe head trauma.

But in Kirux's current state, there wasn't anything she could do for him. If he hadn't been knocked unconscious, then she might be able to help him.

But for now, Aqua and Ventus needed her help.

"I'll be right back, Ki." She said, pressing a kiss on his forehead.

"Just sit tight."

She stood up, turning and running towards Aqua and Ventus.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Terra - KH Birth by Sleep**_

* * *

Kirux's eyes slowly opened, finding himself in an empty void.

He sighed, "Well, this was gonna happen eventually..."

He stood up, looking around. Not like there was anything to look at. It was an empty void.

Someone called to him out of nowhere, "Hello there, Kirux."

He turned around, finding Terra walking towards him.

...

"Oh, there you are. I've been looking for you."

Kirux advanced towards him slowly, "Y'know, you're a hard guy to find, even though you've been in my heart this entire time."

"Kirux, there's...a pro-,"

"Don't worry. You'll be out of here in no time. Then, you can see Aqua and Ventus in person, instead of, you know, taking my body for hours."

"Kirux, you need to listen to what I have to say, it's import-,"

"If you're trying to say bye, don't bother. I'm not gonna mi-,"

"Would you listen to me for a second?"

Kirux stopped, crossing his arms over his chest.

...

...

...

"Look, so...ever since my heart entered yours, your heart has been...I don't know, borrowing some of its power, so that you can harness that power. It's been happening ever since you were in those Sleeping Worlds."

"However, the more and more that it happened, the closer our hearts have become, and I believe when you and I had to work together to defeat Xehanort, it started happening."

Kirux was getting suspicious, "What started happening?"

"Your heart and my heart...they started to merge into one. It's been a slow, drawn-out process, but the longer it's been happening, the worse it gets. That's why I've been able to take control of your body, because...it's starting to become _my_ body too."

"Our hearts have become so close, that...if you were to extract my own heart, I'm afraid...that your own wouldn't be able to hold itself together. It would be too damaged."

Kirux's suspicions were turning into fear, his arms falling, "W-what are you saying?"

Terra sighed, "Kirux, if you set my heart free, you won't survive it. The extraction...it would kill you."

...

...

...

Kirux took some time to think that over.

 _'"The extraction would kill you." It would...kill me?'_

 _'If I set Terra's heart free, I'm...gonna die?'_

 _'I can't die. I can't leave. This can't be happening...'_

 _'And it's...it's...'_

 _'It's all his fault...'_

...

Kirux's fear started turning into rage, and his fists clenched.

He ran at Terra, tackling him and driving him into the ground.

He got up, punching him in the face.

"This is all your fault!" He screamed, punching him again.

"This is MY heart! You don't belong here!" He punched him again.

"You come into my heart without permission, then you start taking control of my body! And now, when I try to set your heart free, you say that It'll kill me!"

Kirux punched him three more times, and almost did a fourth time, but he stopped.

He collapsed backwards, his rage going away as soon as he landed.

 _'I'm gonna die...I'm gonna die...'_

He just looked down at the ground, not speaking.

* * *

Xion, Ventus, and Aqua were struggling mightily.

Even though they were all skilled enough to be Keyblade Masters (officially, Xion and Aqua were), but whatever this figure was was making them look like amateurs.

They were all slumped over, all exhausted and weak.

"It's no use," Xion said, "We can't stop him..."

Ventus tried to advance on the figure, but it just sent him back again without any effort.

Xion spoke to herself, "Kirux, please wake up. We need you..."

* * *

Kirux was silent.

Terra was silent.

The two of them were just sitting there, not speaking. Kirux was resting his face in his arms.

After a very long silence, Terra broke the silence, "I'm sorry, Kirux."

"I didn't want things to be this way. You know that. I just...needed to keep my heart away from Xehanort, and..."

He shook his head. Now was not the time for excuses.

...

After another minute of silence, Kirux sniffled and spoke, "What am I gonna do?"

"The way I see it...you got three options."

Kirux looked up, as Terra began, "One: Go through with it, and...maybe we find a way to bring you back quickly."

"Two: You do nothing, and...your heart merges with mine, and we both fade away and become one person. Terra and Kirux would be no more."

When Terra stopped after that, Kirux spoke up, "And what's option three?"

Terra shook his head, "I'm sorry...there isn't an option three."

"So...no matter what, I won't be myself anymore..."

Terra didn't respond.

...

Kirux's thoughts went towards other things.

Mainly Xion. In fact, entirely on Xion.

 _"_ _You're Kirux, my best friend and...well, you're a lot more than just that. To me, at least."_

 _'Well, I...won't be Kirux anymore, no matter what happens...'_

That thought alone made the few tears he did have fall, as he rubbed his eyes.

He couldn't stop thinking about Xion.

He had just said the night before, _literally_ , that him and her would be together _forever._

And yeah, he had expected something like this might happen, but...now?

Before they had saved Roxas? Before they had been able to see the fight through to the finish? Before _everything_ Xion and him had planned to do when they had all their friends back?

Before he could have shared that paopu fruit with her? Before he could have given her that thalassa shell?

Kirux was lucky to not be bawling right now, because if he was alone, he would be at that moment.

...

...

...

Terra spoke to him, "I'm not expecting you to go through with this. In fact, I don't want you to. But if you don't, then...it's over for-,"

"I'll do it..."

Terra was shocked, "What?"

Kirux stood up, "I said...I'll do it. I'll set your heart free..."

Terra shot onto his feet, "Kirux...you know what's gonna happen. Why in the world..."

"Because Terra, I...want to keep living my own life. And...if I sit around and do nothing, then...I won't get to do that, and you won't either. And...think about everyone else. Aqua and Ven will never get to see you again."

"But...what about Xion?"

Kirux looked down at the ground, "I...have to do this. If I don't, I...won't be myself anymore. I don't want that to happen."

Kirux looked back up, and Terra could see he was struggling to hold tears back, "So, when you see her, please tell her I'm sorry. Tell her that, no matter what I did, I loved her with all my heart, and nothing could ever change that. Okay?"

Terra processed what he said, and after a while, he nodded, "O-okay. If...you say so."

Kirux smiled, finally letting the tears he had been fighting to hold back fall, "Thank you, Terra..."

He lost his vision a second after.

* * *

The situation had somehow managed to get worse.

The figure had tried to get to Kirux, and whenever one of them tried to stop him, they would simply be brushed aside.

Xion was just getting up, yelling towards the figure, "Don't you dare go near him!"

The figure turned back towards her, seeing her angry expression.

"You stay away from my friend, you...whatever you are!"

The figure started slowly walking towards her.

...

...

...

"Hey!"

Everyone turned towards the voice, surprised to see Kirux standing there, Keyblade in one hand and one holding his side.

"If you want your heart back...then you can have it."

Everyone else was silent, watching what happened.

...

Kirux put his Keyblade out before him, towards the armored figure. A small orb of light appeared at the end.

Kirux grunted from the excruciating pain, but managed to stay composed, and soon enough, a heart popped out of his chest, sailing into the air.

It flew towards the figure, moving into their chest. The figure began to glow in light.

After a few seconds, the armor pieces fell one by one.

Terra's body was there, still glowing in the light.

"Terra!" Aqua and Ventus yelled, dropping their Keyblade and running towards him.

They both embraced him, but Terra seemed to ignore them both.

When Xion made her way over, she noticed what he was looking at.

It was Kirux.

"Master Terra, what's wrong?"

He looked down at her (Aqua and Ventus having let him go by this point), shaking his head, "I'm so sorry, Xion."

"What are you talking about?"

* * *

 _ **Play: Sora's Sacrifice - KH1**_

* * *

She looked back over at Kirux, and...something didn't seem right.

She watched his Keyblade burst out of his hand.

Not fade, _burst._

"What's going on? What's happening?"

"Xion, I..." Terra tried to say, but couldn't.

"Kirux, tell me what's happening. Now."

...

Kirux looked at her, and Xion could see it.

She could see it in his eyes.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Terra, Aqua, and Ventus seemed to know what was happening, but she didn't.

...

She started to advance towards Kirux, Terra grabbing her arm.

"Xion, don't." But she pulled her arm away, and ran towards Kirux.

When she got close, she noticed he was...fading.

"What's happening to you? Why are you fading away?"

"I'm sorry, Xion. I...didn't want it to be this way."

"What are you talking about?"

"There's no time left. It's...too late for me."

"What do you mean?! Just tell me what's happening already!"

Kirux placed his hands on her shoulders, "Remember what I told you, that day on the clock tower. I _will_ come back to you, and I will always be in your heart."

"Are you...leaving me?"

Kirux just let his arms fall, and took a step backwards.

Xion looked into his eyes, and saw the tears that were flowing out of his eyes, "Goodbye, Xion...I'm glad I got to meet you..."

...

She remembered those words.

Those were what she had said to him, when...she had disappeared.

She shook her head, "Kirux, no..."

She tried to grab him, but when her arms made contact with his frame, his body dissolved entirely.

What particles were left sailed up into the air, and dissolved.

There was nothing left of him.

He was gone.

Kirux...was no more.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Sora's Sacrifice - KH1**_

* * *

Xion's arms fell to the side, and her head sank.

Ventus had walked closer to her, "Xion, I..."

Terra spoke up, "I'm...terribly sorry."

...

Xion responded darkly, "You..."

She turned around, the clear rage in her eyes, "This is all your fault!"

She went to run towards him, but Ven grabbed her and held her back.

"Xion, stop it!" But she didn't listen.

She struggled to get free, and even though she couldn't, she still taunted Terra.

"I wish you had never shown up in the first place! If you hadn't been such a weakling in the past, this wouldn't have happened!"

"He would...he...he would-,"

She collapsed, her arms holding her up as tears welled up.

"Kirux..." She muttered lightly before she finally broke down.

* * *

 **Please don't hate me...**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	34. XXXIV - In Mourning

**Hey, so...I'm not dead (unlike a certain character I know).**

 **So, in the time that I've been gone, I...moved out. I'm in college now, and let me tell you, adjusting to college life has been a real challenge for me. I had lost all my motivation to write, up until now. Honestly, I pretty stopped coming on this site all together.**

 **But whatever, you don't need to hear my excuses. Let's just continue.**

* * *

The four of them were climbing Master Yen Sid's tower, having just reached the main chamber at the top.

"Aqua, are you sure about this?" Ventus asked from behind. Aqua and Terra were ahead, with Ventus just below them. Xion was dragging along behind them all.

Aqua and Terra both turned back to him, Aqua speaking, "Yes, Ventus. We need to tell the Master what happened."

"Even with...you know?" Ventus said, motioning towards Xion.

"Yes. Especially that. Maybe the Master will have an idea of what to do."

...

Ventus turned back towards Xion, "Are...you okay?"

She was staring down at the ground, avoiding eye contact. She only gave him a slight nod, not even bothering to look up at him.

"Xion, come on. You can't ignore me forever."

She still didn't speak, only walking up past him to the door to Master Yen Sid's chamber.

...

...

...

Xion pushed the door open, finding Master Yen Sid not in his chair. Instead, he was standing behind it, looking out one of the windows.

Aqua walked in behind, speaking, "Master, we're back."

Yen Sid turned towards them, "Ah, Masters Aqua and Xion. I wasn't expecting your return so soon."

"Well, we weren't expecting to rescue them so soon."

Ven and Terra entered the chamber, both bowing to Yen Sid.

"It's good to see you again, Terra and Ventus."

"To you as well, Master Yen Sid." Terra said, "However, I wish that this reunion was under better circumstances."

"What do you mean?"

The three glanced at Xion, who's head had seemingly sank even further, her arms positioned as if she was holding herself.

"There was a," Aqua started, "problem, when we went to go rescue Terra."

"Kirux used his Keyblade to set Terra's heart free, and...everything seemed fine at first. Until..."

She trailed off, so Ventus picked up, "Kirux's body started to, I dunno, fade away or something. And then, he just...vanished all together."

Terra spoke up then, "He saved my life, but he...gave up his own."

...

...

...

Nobody said a word.

The silence after was thick, like fog.

Eventually, Master Yen Sid spoke, "This is...quite unfortunate."

"It's a lot more than that."

"Indeed. However, we cannot allow this to deter our efforts."

Xion looked up for the first time in a while, as Yen Sid continued, "I understand that Kirux's untimely demise must be hard on you all,"

He looked over at Xion, "One of you in particular. However, one loss mustn't divert us from our original goal. Now that Terra, Aqua, and Ventus have all returned, we are one step closer to defeating Master Xehanort."

"You all must not let this...setback distract you from what we're supposed to do."

...

...

...

Terra, Aqua, and Ven just nodded in agreement, but not Xion.

Xion just glared at Yen Sid, anger very quickly building inside of her.

Ventus noticed this, "Xion? What's the matter?"

Xion was clenching her fists hard, trying very hard to keep her anger under control.

Unfortunately, she failed.

"How dare you!" She yelled at Yen Sid, surprising him and everyone else.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Kirux has done more for this cause than you ever have! He's put his life on the line for this! He's taken on Xehanort by himself TWICE, and made it out both times alive! Meanwhile, all you've done is throw us all into the fire, and nearly gotten us killed! Hell, Sora was possessed by Xehanort, and you wanna know who saved him? Kirux did!"

Her voice only got louder as she went on, "Kirux was the one that got Sora's memories back so he could wake up! Kirux was the one that infiltrated the old Organization XIII! Kirux has saved so many people's lives, he'd probably lost count!"

She couldn't stop her tears from falling, as she kept going, "Kirux has meant more to this than you could imagine, and you...you-,"

She just shook her head, turning and running out the door. Nobody even tried to stop her.

...

...

...

The room was silent.

Master Yen Sid sighed, "This complicates things significantly..."

"Ya think?"

* * *

"How long are you gonna be gone?"

"I told you, Kairi. I'm just heading out for a little. I'm not going on vacation."

"Did Riku approve of it?"

Lea just waved his hand, "Like he would be able to stop me."

...

He walked outside, the sun just beginning to rise over the walls of Radiant Garden. Riku had them get used to getting up bright and early for training, although he himself had yet to learn this lesson.

Kairi walked out right after him, "Where exactly were you going again?"

"Back to a place, a...place I used to share with my friends."

"You mean Kirux and Xion?"

"Yeah, them...and Roxas too."

"Why are you going there?"

...

He shrugged, "I don't know. I just haven't been there in a while. I...want to see if everything is the same."

He smiled, turning back towards Kairi, "Besides, with Kirux and Xion, you never know what those two are gonna do."

Kairi laughed, "Well, have fun. And don't worry, I'll cover for you with Riku."

"Thanks Kairi." He said with a smile. He was glad Riku had cleared things up with Kairi, and that they actually had a chance to become friends.

He turned back, making a portal, "I'll be back sooner than you think."

He walked through.

* * *

 _ **Play: Musique pour la tristesse de Xion (Xion's Theme) - KH 358/2 Days**_

* * *

She knew coming here was a bad idea.

Not just the clock tower, but Twilight Town in general.

...

She was sitting in her usual spot, right on the edge.

Only now, she was resting her head on her knees, not daring to look at anything.

Every sight and sound would just remind her of him...

…

Even now, Xion was still trying to wrap her head around it.

What had gone wrong? It had worked with Ventus perfectly fine (or so she assumed). Why was it different with Terra, and Kirux's heart?

She was pretty sure at first it was his fault. Terra's, of course. She thought he was the cause of Kirux's...you know.

And maybe he was, she didn't know. She was too overcome with emotion that she couldn't even bother trying to find out.

...

She finally brought her eyes up, looking out at the sunset.

She was expecting to look over to her left and see him there, smiling at her like he normally would.

But when she glanced over, there was nothing. Just an empty spot that would remain unoccupied.

She was _alone_ , and that's what she had been afraid of.

Being _alone_.

...

...

...

"Hey, didn't expect to see you here." She heard Lea say.

She didn't bother looking at him nor speaking to him.`

"Giving me the silent treatment, huh? Okay then."

She heard him walk behind her, then sit down to her right.

Then, he asked the dreaded question.

"So, where's your other half?"

...

The memories started coming back again.

The _pain_ she felt in her heart flared.

"What happened? Did you two have a fight or something?" Lea asked, getting more and more concerned.

Xion felt tears beginning to rise again. She was sure her body had run out, but she was wrong.

"Xion, what happened?"

She raised her head from her knees, "Axel..."

...

...

...

Xion couldn't contain herself anymore, and she broke down again. Lea had pulled her into his side, trying to get her to calm her down, but it didn't work. At all.

She was sobbing uncontrollably into his chest, unable to stop. Unable to let the pain her heart felt clear out.

Yes, she had cried because of Kirux before in the past. Way too much, in fact.

But this, this was different. This time, it had broken Xion. Her heart truly was broken, as broken as a heart could get.

...

"Xion..." Lea said softly, "Can...can you try and tell me what happened?"

She knew she didn't want to. She didn't want to think about it anymore.

But, Lea deserved to know. He was Kirux's best friend too.

She pulled back, sniffling, then speaking, "It...it was terrible. He just started...fading away...there wasn't anything I could do to save him..."

She let her head start hanging, "I...couldn't save him, Axel. I was..."

She sniffled again, "I miss him so much..."

"I know," Lea said calmingly, "I know you do."

…

Xion spoke lightly, "I don't know what to do without him. He's...he was always there, no matter what..."

"Xion..."

"He was...my everything. I loved him with all my heart, but now he's...he's gone again..."

She shut her eyes, "I don't know what to do anymore..."

...

...

...

Lea was silent, trying to find words to say to her.

He wished he had stayed at Radiant Garden, so he hadn't been put on the spot like this.

"Listen, Xion," He began, "I know Kirux had always been there for you, but..."

He sighed, as she looked up at him, "But, the only way that you're gonna get through this...is if you do it yourself."

"But,"

"No, you won't be alone. I'm not going anywhere, but you're the only one that can help yourself."

...

"I...don't understand..."

"Just don't think about it. Don't worry, everything is going to be fine. We'll find a way to bring him back."

"You promise?"

He smiled at her, "I promise."

...

Despite that, Xion couldn't help but doubt everything he said.

And if he was here, Kirux orobably would have thought the same thing...

* * *

 **Man, that ending was not good. I apologize, I'm still pretty rusty.**

 **Anyways, thanks to everyone who's still with me after I died for a month and a half. This story would be nothing without you.**

 **Thanks again, and I'll see you all again soon.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	35. XXXV - Call to Action

**So, um…I know I practically disappeared again, and I'm sorry. College is a lot to handle, as some of you may already know. It's been a large transition for me, and I'm still not completely used to being so far away from home.**

 **However, I'm on fall break now, and back at home. Hopefully, I'll have at least two chapters done by the time I go back to school, but we'll see.**

 **Anyways, let's continue.**

* * *

Lea entered Master Yen Sid's chamber, finding Riku and Yen Sid talking with one another.

"Hey Lea," Riku greeted.

"Hey Riku," Lea said back, half heartedly, "Hello to you as well, Master."

Master Yen Sid said nothing, just nodding back to him.

…

"So, how's she doing? Any better?" Riku asked Lea.

"Xion? She's..."

Lea crossed his arms over his chest, "No, she hasn't gotten any better."

Riku sighed, "Seriously?"

"Yeah, and to be honest, I think she's actually getting worse. She's stopped talking to me entirely now."

Riku shook his head, "It's been three weeks. Shouldn't she be over this crap by now?"

"I don't think you understand the extent of her and Kirux's relationship, Riku."

"I understand plenty, but still, she should be over this by now. You'd think she'd move on, rather than sitting around grieving about someone that died three weeks ago."

"Hey, give her a break. If you were in her shoes, you'd do the same thing."

…

"Riku makes a good point."

Lea looked over at Yen Sid, "You can't be serious Master."

"Unfortunately, I am. Xion's behavior over these last three weeks has been...quite unacceptable."

Lea couldn't believe what he was hearing, "She must learn to keep her personal attachments in check, and that loss...is simply something we all must go through. If she hasn't learned this by now, then...I truly fear for her."

…

…

…

Lea clenched his fist, "Master, I mean no disrespect, but...that's a load of bullsh-,"

Before he could finish, the door opened up behind him. When he turned around, the last person he expected to see walk through was Xion.

She shut the door behind her, walking and standing to Lea's left.

"Hello Master..." she said lightly, not even acknowledging Riku nor Lea.

"Hello Xion. I'm glad to see you've recovered."

Xion shrugged, "Well, I...wouldn't say I have recovered..."

"No matter. What brings you up here?"

…

Xion looked down at the ground, "Well, I...was hoping I could talk to you alone, if that's not a problem."

Master Yen Sid looked at Riku and Lea, waving his hand to them. They both nodded, and turned to leave. Lea gave Xion one last glance before he shut the door behind him.

Yen Sid turned his attention back to Xion, "So, what is it you wanted to discuss?"

* * *

Play: Dearly Beloved - KH 358/2 Days

* * *

Xion put her hands over her chest, "Master, I...came to you because I've run out of ideas. I know that Kiru...he's been gone for three weeks, and...I should have moved on from it by now."

"But, I...I just can't move on. Every time I think I've finally moved on and gotten over it, something in my heart changes. Memories of him and I together just flare back up, and...I just fall back into what I was like before."

She wiped her eyes really quick, then continued, "I'm at the point now, where I think, no, I _know_ , that I...can't live in a world. I'm not ready to let Kirux go...I _can't_ let Kirux go."

"And that means...if I want Kirux to come back, then I need to bring him back...by myself."

…

Yen Sid spoke up then, "Xion, if I may, I don't believe this is the correct course of action."

"I'm not asking for your permission to do anything, Master. I'm doing this, whether you or anybody else helps...or not..."

She turned around, "I have to do this...for him. He would have done the same thing for me..."

Master Yen Sid said nothing, and...just nothing, "If that is what your heart commands, then...I cannot stop you."

"Thank you, Master. And, please tell Axel not to follow me. I don't want him to try and stop me."

Xion walked out of the chamber, down past Axel and Riku.

…

The two of them walked back into the chamber.

"What did she talk to you, Master?" Riku asked.

Master Yen Sid had his head down, his eyes closed.

"Xion...she is doing what her heart commands."

"What does that mean?" Lea said.

"She's lost something, and is going out to reclaim it."

"Lost something? What did she lose?"

…

Lea understood what he meant.

"You idiot, she's going to look for Kirux!" He yelled at Riku, then he turned back to Master Yen Sid, "You're just letting her go?"

"She is only doing what her heart commands. There is nothing I can do to stop her."

"Is it that...or did she tell you not to stop her?"

Yen Sid didn't answer.

Lea just shook his head, running out of the chamber, after Xion.

…

…

…

Xion was just reaching the edge when she heard Lea call to her.

She sighed, turning around to face him. He stopped a few feet ahead of her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm doing something I should have done from the very beginning."

"Are you crazy? Xion, Kirux is done. There's nothing that you can do."

She held a hand over her chest, "You don't know that, Axel. There may be something left, somewhere out there. I just have to find it."

"And what exactly is there to find? You said it yourself, there was nothing left of him."

…

"You know," Xion said, "I thought you would be supportive in this. I thought you would try to help me save _our_ best friend."

"Trust me, Xion. There's nothing more I want to do but help you, but...this isn't the right decision. There's more important things at sta-,"

"There's nothing more important! Not to me! Kirux WAS that thing, but he's gone now!"

"Why can't you just accept that he's gone?! He's just one guy!"

…

…

…

Xion clenched her fists in anger, "Just one guy? How could you say something like that...about your best friend? What's wrong with you?!"

"There's nothing wrong with me! I just know how to accept loss, and I know how to move on with my life! Something you've lacked for the past three weeks!"

…

"I'll tell you what I told Master Yen Sid," Xion said, "I've tried to move on with my life, and get over Kirux's death. Whenever I feel like I have, my memories of him just come back into my mind and my heart."

"I'm sick of having these memories affect me like this. I'm tired of all the nightmares I have about him, the times when I look over to my side and cry because he's not there. I'm sick of constantly wishing I could have done something to prevent his death from happening."

She looked back up, "I know you don't want me to do this, nobody in that tower does. But I just hope you'll understand that this is something I have to do. Whether you all like or not, I'm doing this. I'm going to find Kirux, and I'll do whatever it takes to bring him back."

She turned around, making a portal of light. She was about to walk through, but Lea spoke up.

"Radiant Garden..."

"Huh?"

"Go to Radiant Garden. There's a guy there, name's Ienzo. You remember Zexion, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it's him, but a person again. Find him, maybe he can help you."

…

Xion smiled, "Thank you, Axe-...I mean, Lea."

Lea smiled back, "Whatever. Go, find Kirux. And...bring him back to us. When you do, ice cream is on me."

She laughed, "I'll hold you to that."

She went into the portal, leaving Lea at the bottom of the tower.

He exhaled heavily, "I hope this goes well..."

* * *

 **I'm gonna admit, I'm REALLY rusty.**

 **I hope you somehow managed to enjoy this rushed, poorly written chapter.**

 **I'll see you all again soon.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	36. XXXVI - Pursuit of Kirux

**Well, I'm back. Hopefully for good this time. I'm sorry for leaving you all again.**

 **Here's another Christmas gift for you all, even though it's already passed. A late Christmas gift, how about that?**

 **Anyways, please enjoy yourselves. I hope this chapter will make up for me being gone for over two months.**

* * *

"I assume you didn't stop her?" Master Yen Sid asked Lea as he walked back into the chamber.

"No, I didn't, nor could I. When she gets an idea like that in her head, it's kind of hard to stop her."

"So, where's she gonna go? Does she have any idea of where to go?" Riku asked.

"I put her on the right path, I think. There's someone I know, at Radiant Garden. He's smart, and I think he'll be able to help her."

"You think she'll be able to do it?"

"She will, I hope..."

* * *

 _ **Play: Radiant Garden - KH Birth by Sleep**_

 _(Almost put "Spagonia Day" from Sonic Unleashed, but it didn't work as well. So, BBS version it is.)_

* * *

Xion exited the portal, hearing the sound of pavement underneath her feet.

She looked up, finding herself in the middle of the town square

To her surprise, it was filled with people. Men, women, and children filled the square in every direction.

"What's going on here? There's never been this many people before..."

A group of children ran behind her, nearly running into her. One of them yelled back "Sorry!" before continuing to run.

She crossed her arms, "Finding Zexion is gonna be a nightmare in this place. I mean, where do I even start?"

…

She looked around the square again, scanning the crowd for any familiar faces.

She spotted one, but not a good one.

Someone in a black hood, the Organization XIII hood.

She gasped when she saw them, "What are they doing here?"

Whoever was in the hood turned and walked away from her, down an alley.

"I got to see what that guy's up to. If Organization XIII is here, then...well, whatever it is won't be good."

She went off after him, pushing her way through the crowd of people.

…

…

…

She followed him into an area that was (thankfully) empty area. There was a shop on the far side of this area, and a house to the right.

The figure in the coat walked towards the house, just as Xion ran into the new area.

She watched them walk towards the door, opening it and walking inside.

Xion went to the door, not opening it yet.

"They're in here. There could be more of them inside."

She pulled her Keyblade out, "Better safe than sorry."

…

She then kicked the door open, running in with Keyblade in hand. She looked around, trying to spot the hooded person.

They weren't in there. No Organization hoods. Just four people in a circle, staring at her wide-eyed.

Xion felt embarrassment surge within her, but could only get out an "Uhh…"

Then, someone popped up out of nowhere to her left. An old man in a wizard outfit, sort of like Master Yen Sid.

"What is all this commotion?!" He yelled, noticing Xion and her Keyblade.

"Do we know you? Why do you have a Keyblade?"

"Umm...I-," Xion said, but couldn't come up with an answer. She let her Keyblade fade away.

"I'm sorry. I thought I saw somebody come in here, so...I followed them in."

"You followed them...by kicking down the door?" A man said to her, crossing his arms.

"It was a guy in an Organization coat. I watched him walk through this door!"

"The door you just kicked down?"

"Yes, the door I just kicked down! Someone in a black coat walked through this door! You've gotta believe me!"

The man in front of her said nothing, just glaring down at her.

 _"Ugh, what's the use? They won't believe me."_

…

"Now, every one just calm down." The old man to Xion's left said, "What's done is done, so let's just forget about it and move on."

The man took a few steps closer to them, "Don't worry about the door, I'll have it fixed later. But why don't you start by telling us who you are?"

"Oh, I'm Xion. I'm looking for somebody here in the city, a guy named Ienzo. You know where I can find him?"

"Ienzo, huh?" The old man started scratching the side of his head, "I don't think I know anyone by that name."

He turned towards the others, "What about any of you?"

They all shook their heads.

Xion's shoulders sank in disappointment and she sighed.

"Are you absolutely sure you don't know that name?"

"Positive."

…

Xion sighed again, looking towards the old man, "Sorry again about the door, sir. I'd fix it for you, but I need to find that guy. It's important."

"Oh, no worries my dear. I'll have it fixed up soon enough. But how about sticking around a little? After all, you wouldn't want to miss out on the festival?"

"Well, I'd love to. But, I _really_ need to find that guy. If I don't, well..."

"Don't you worry! We won't keep you for long. We just wouldn't want you to miss out on the celebration."

The old man turned towards the group in the room, "Leon and Yuffie can show you around. How about it?"

The man she could only assume was Leon crossed his arms over his chest, "Are you sure we can trust her, old man?"

The girl, Yuffie, walked up next to him, "Come on, give her a shot Leon."

She walked up to Xion, "I'm Yuffie. Lemme show you around a bit, Xion."

"Okay, I guess..." Xion said, but she was thinking to herself, _'This is a waste of time. I should be looking for Ienzo, not messing around with locals.'_

But before she could say anything, Yuffie was egging her on. So, she stepped over the door she kicked down and out of the house. Leon was following behind her.

…

…

…

Yuffie and Leon led her back to the Main Square, where the crowds had died down slightly, but people still lined along all of the roads.

"What exactly is this entire thing about anyways?" She asked Yuffie.

"It's to celebrate the completion of the Hollow Bastion, or Radiant Garden, Restoration Project!"

"Restoration Project?"

"Our attempt to restore Radiant Garden back to what it was back before Ansem came around, Sora's first journey." Leon answered.

"It took a long time and a lot of hard work, but we managed to finally do it. We actually finished a lot earlier than I expected."

"What do you mean by that?"

"When Ansem rolled through this place, he left everything devastated. The entirety of the city was pretty much destroyed and deserted. Heartless lined every street, kind of like how the people are now..."

Yuffie smiled then, "But thanks to Sora and that Keyblade of his, we were able to restore Radiant Garden back completely! And hopefully, it stays that way."

"I'm gonna get us ice cream! Wait right here!" Yuffie said before running off towards a vendor.

…

"Listen, kid. Xion, right?" Leon said to Xion.

Xion looked up at him, "Yeah. What is it?"

"Just wanna say sorry about earlier. After everything that's happened, it's been hard to trust strangers."

"I get it. Besides, I kicked the door down out of nowhere, so understand."

"Good. You know, you kind of remind me of this one guy I knew."

"Really? Who?"

"Well, I only met him one time, and it wasn't for very long, but he helped us out when the Heartless attacked the city once."

"What was his name?"

Leon brought a hand to his head, "Ugh, if only I could remember what it was..."

He thought it over for a little longer, but shook his head, "Sorry, I can't think of it. I could of sworn I remembered it though..."

Xion waved her hand, "It's okay. It happens to the best of us."

Leon let his hand fall, smiling lightly.

…

Yuffie returned with their ice cream, handing one to Xion, one to Leon, and keeping one for herself.

"Leon, some people wanted to talk to you and I. Wanna come along with me?"

"Sure." He said, walking towards her.

"Xion, why don't you have a look around? You don't want to miss out on anything, trust me!"

Xion smiled, "I might. Thanks you guys."

Yuffie and Leon walked off to a crowd of people, leaving Xion alone.

She looked around the area, examining the square like she had when she arrived.

She saw all of the people, talking and laughing together. All of the children, running around and playing with their friends.

She sighed, "I wish you could be here to see this, Ki."

When Xion looked at the ice cream in her hand, it reminded her of home. Of the clock tower, with Kirux to her left and Roxas and Axel to her right.

She frowned at those thoughts, and felt sadness rip through her heart. She spoke to herself again, "Sometimes I wish I could just go back..."

Then, another memory flashed through her head...

* * *

 _ **Stop: Radiant Garden - KH Birth by Sleep**_

 _ **Play: Treasured Memories - KH1**_

* * *

She remembered coming up to the clock tower, Roxas and Axel already being there. They were talking about something she didn't pick up on, nor was significant enough for her to care.

For a little while, they didn't talk about anything major, the three just waiting for Kirux to show up.

He finally did, not long after Xion.

"How come you're always the late one?" Xion teased him.

"Well, I like to be thorough when on missions. I don't want to miss a single detail." He answered, sitting to Xion's left.

"Sounds like you're just overachieving." Roxas quipped.

"Am I overachieving, or are you guys UNDERachieving?"

Xion rolled her eyes, "You're such a perfectionist."

"Hey! Don't make fun of me because you two are slackers!"

"Axel, back Xion and I up here, will ya?" Roxas said to him.

Axel just waved his arm, "Nope. You three resolve this on your own."

The three of them bickered back and forth for about five minutes, before Axel finally did butt in and stop the whole argument.

…

…

…

The four of them had fallen into silence, which was rare for them.

Xion finally broke the silence, "Axel? You've been to Castle Oblivion, right?"

Axel looked over at her, "Yeah."

"What's it like there?"

"What's it like? Well, there's nothing much. It's just an Organization research facility."

"It's for research?" Kirux asked.

"You know, it seems like everyone gets sent there all the time. Especially you." Roxas said to Axel.

"Although...they never send me or Roxas. They don't send Kirux either."

"That's true. Why is that, Axel?"

Axel looked over towards the three of them, "Well, maybe it's just because they don't need you there."

Xion looked down at her feet, a...different expression on her face.

Kirux noticed it, nudged her lightly, whispering, "You okay?"

She didn't answer him, just saying, "I'm...gonna head back."

She stood up, but when she did, something flashed in her head, and she got dizzy.

Xion fell forward, off of the front of the clock tower.

Luckily for her, Roxas and Kirux both went over the edge to grab her, but Roxas's hand missed. Kirux fortunately grabbed her wrist, and was able to pull her back up with Roxas's help.

…

"Are you okay? What happened?" Kirux asked her with obvious concern.

"I don't know. It just happened randomly..."

"Maybe you're not completely well yet." Roxas said to her.

"No, it's nothing like that." She tried to reassure them, but it didn't work.

Kirux crossed his arms over his chest, while Axel looked as if he was thinking about something.

"I got it!" He said excitedly.

"Got what?" Roxas asked.

He turned back towards the three of them, "On our next day off, let's all go to the beach, huh?"

"The beach? Where did that idea come from?" Xion asked him.

"We should go someplace different for a change."

"You're talking about a vacation with friends." Kirux said.

"Exactly."

He smiled, "I like that idea."

Roxas did the same, "Same here."

Xion was not as enthusiastic, "I'll join you...if I can."

"What are you talking about, Xion? Come on, it'll be fun!" Kirux said to her.

"He's right. Trust me."

Xion thought about it, "A-alright then. Let's go."

…

…

…

After that conversation, the four of them left the clock tower. Axel and Roxas were walking ahead, while Kirux and Xion trailed behind a bit.

"Kirux." Xion called out.

Kirux stopped on the stairs, turning back towards her, "What's up?"

"This beach trip...do you really think it's a good idea?"

"Yeah, I do. I think it'll be great for all of us, especially for you."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know. It just seems like you need something to clear your head. You've been thinking a lot lately, and...I dunno. You just need a break, y'know?"

"I guess, but..."

…

Kirux went back up a few steps to stand next to her, grabbing her hand.

Xion looked back up at him.

"Hey. You can trust me. This will be good for all of us, okay?"

He was smiling at her, and for Xion...well, whenever he did stuff like this, it just always seemed to make her feel better.

So, she smiled back at him, giving him a slight nod.

"Come on. Let's go home."

"Okay."

The two of them walked away together, out of the clock tower and back to the castle.

Xion didn't realize until later that day that he had never let go of her hand...

* * *

 _ **Stop: Treasured Memories - KH1**_

* * *

Xion remembered everything about that day, and what they had all promised to do.

Kirux and her had even said, one day before they went to Master Yen Sid, that once Axel and Roxas had come back, they would all go to the beach together.

It was one of the things they planned to do...

She sighed, "We'll get there someday, once you're back here with me..."

She heard someone yell, "Look up there!", so naturally she did.

She saw the man in black again. Standing on the wall that lead to the outer gardens.

She gasped, and ended up dropping her ice cream on the ground.

* * *

 _ **Play: Night of Fate - KH1**_

* * *

The man put his hand out, and fired a dark bolt of lightning into the sky.

A massive dark portal appeared in the sky, and soon enough, Heartless started flying out from the center.

People started screaming and running into every direction. Some of them bumped into Xion, as she went towards the square's center to see what she could do.

Leon and Yuffie ran up from her right, carrying weapons in their hands, "How did this happen?!" One of them yelled.

"The guy in black I saw earlier! You guys get everyone out of here! I'll find a way to get that portal closed!"

They nodded, running off behind Xion.

Heartless started to finally hit the ground, standing back up in front of Xion.

She pulled her Keyblade out, running towards the Heartless.

…

Most of the Heartless that were coming out of the portal were just normal Shadows, so they didn't pose any real threat for Xion. But getting them to not attack the civilians was virtually impossible.

A group of children almost got pounced on by Shadows, but Xion was just able to get in front of them and dispose of them.

"Stay behind me!" She said to the children, who obeyed without question.

More Heartless came towards them, and Xion protected the children until Yuffie came over and got them to safety.

Xion struck another one down, and by this time, a bunch of Large Armors dropped in front of her.

She wasn't fazed by them. She twirled her Keyblade in her hand, and pointed it skyward.

A tornado appeared, and it swept up the Large Armors and a few Shadows that had shown up. They all swirled around in the wind before the tornado dispersed and they were sent flying. All the Heartless that were caught in the tornado disappeared after landing.

…

One final Heartless appeared out of the portal. A massive, dragon like Heartless flew down and landed on top of one of the buildings. It was a large and dark brown, with red spikes on the end of its tail.

It roared at Xion, who was stunned quite a bit.

"Geez, that thing is huge! How am I supposed to take that down alone?"

Thankfully, that Heartless decided that flying away was a better idea. It took off, flying around the area a few times before flying away from the city.

Xion was confused, but she just ignored it. She went to the center of the square, pointed her Keyblade towards the sky. She shot a beam of light in to the portal in the sky, and caused it to close.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Night of Fate - KH1**_

* * *

Her Keyblade fell back to her side, as she exhaled, "Thank goodness that's over."

She sensed someone behind her, and there he was. The guy in black.

"Hey! Just who do you think you are?!"

 _"Don't keep me waiting..."_ She heard him respond, although he didn't say anything out loud.

"What are you talking about? Who even are you?!"

He said nothing in response, and his figure faded into nothing.

"Hey!" She yelled, but he was gone before she could do anything.

…

"Wow. What you did was quite impressive." Somebody said to her right.

A man was walking up to her. He was tall, had long gray hair that covered his right eye. He was wearing a lab coat.

"I've seen plenty of Keyblade wielders in my life, but none have done something like that."

He stopped about two feet in front of Xion, "Might I ask, have we met before? You seem awfully familiar."

"My name is Xion. I was in the Organization with you, back when you were a Nobody. You're Ienzo, right?"

"Yes I am. Now it's all coming back to me. I remember you perfectly now."

"Good to know, but anyways. Ienzo, Lea sent me here because...well, I need your help."

"Lea? Good to see he's doing well still. In any case, I would be happily obliged to help you. Please, come with me and you can explain everything."

"That's perfect." She said, following him.

* * *

"So, you wish to restore Kirux's heart, but don't know how?" Ienzo said, picking up a book on the desk.

"Yeah. I mean, destroy the Heartless and the Nobody and that would do it, but...I have no idea where to go or what to do. You know what I mean?"

"Well of course, destroying the Nobody and Heartless is the most effective way to restore a person. And once that person who's lost their heart is recompleted, they should return to the place it happened."

"I understand all of that, but...how do you know if it's his Heartless or Nobody? They all look the same, except for the Organization members."

Ienzo looked down into his book, "Unfortunately, that part would most likely be a guess."

Xion's shoulders slumped down.

"However, there's nothing to say that a person's Heartless or Nobody would gravitate towards worlds that that person holds close to them. Any come to mind?"

Xion thought for a second, "Umm, Twilight Town, and...Traverse Town maybe?"

"Traverse Town...that's the world people would be sent if the world they lost their heart would be made unavailable. It might be worth taking a look there, see if you can gather any clues as to his whereabouts."

"Okay."

…

"Now, I want to make sure you can stay in contact with me. Please, wait here one moment."

He walked towards the lab, and arrived back a second later with a device in his hand.

"Here, take this."

Xion grabbed it, "What's this. A phone?"

"Yes. It'll allow you and I to communicate, even though we're in different worlds. I've been preparing them for Sora and everyone else, but since you're here I might as well give you yours now."

"Wow. Thanks Ienzo. You've been really helpful."

He smiled to her, "I am happy to help in any way I can."

She nodded to him, pocketing the phone, "I'll see if I can find anything. If I do, you'll be the first to know."

"Of course. Good luck to you, Xion."

"Thanks again, Ienzo." She said, heading towards the door and departing the lab.

* * *

 **So, did y'all like that? Please tell me if you did. I actually put a lot of effort into this one.**

 **I'm hoping this one will be the catalyst that gets me to start writing again. I've really missed this, and I've missed you all.**

 **Anyways, leave a review please. See you soon.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	37. XXXVII - Pursuit of Kirux II

**Hey. So, it's February now. KH3 is out. I've beaten KH3 already.**

 **I don't want to talk about it too much, but...oh my god. KH3 is Kingdom Hearts at its best. It's the best KH game in every way, and it's not even close.**

 **Anyways, I definitely took notes on the story. If you see any similarities, you'll know why.**

 **Anyway, back to this.**

* * *

 _ **Play: Traverse Town - KH1**_

* * *

Xion pushed the two massive doors open, revealing Traverse Town's First District.

She saw that she was alone after walking into the center.

"Ienzo said to check if there was anything I could find here in Traverse Town. Better call to make check in with him."

Xion pulled the phone out of her back pocket, booting it up. The screen came to life, displaying the home page.

"Alright. Call Ienzo..." She said to herself, pressing the green phone icon on the screen. She scrolled down until she found "Ienzo" in the contact list, taping it lightly.

The screen changed to black, a phone shaking as it tried to call Ienzo. After a few seconds of waiting, Ienzo's face appeared. He was in the lab, back at Radiant Garden.

"Hey! This thing works!" Xion said, smiling.

"That's great to hear. I still have a few more tests to make sure they function in all conditions, but it's good to see that the communication through different worlds is working."

"Sounds good. If you need me to send this back for testing, just ask."

"No need. I still have the other models I can work with."

"Cool. Anyways, I'm in Traverse Town right now. What exactly should I be looking for here?"

Ienzo thought for a second, "Well, as I said before, Traverse Town is the world where people go when they're recompleted, if for some reason the original world is unavailable. Try asking anybody around town. They might have something that could help you."

Xion nodded, "Alright. I'll ask around. Thanks Ienzo."

He nodded, then hung up.

…

Xion put the phone back in her pocket, "Okay, ask around."

She looked around, and...nobody was there. She was alone.

"Oh, right." She sighed, "We're off to a great start."

"I wonder if there's anyone in the Second District." She said before running forward towards the Second District.

…

When she arrived, it was the same result as the First District. Empty. Not a soul in sight.

"Nobody here either..."

She crossed her arms over her chest, "I mean, I guess that's a good thing. That means no worlds have been lost to darkness, I guess."

"But, that means there's nobody to ask anything about Kirux..."

She sighed heavily.

…

"Not nobody..." a voice rang out ahead of her, followed by heavy footsteps.

Xion looked up, and saw the black cloaked guy from Radiant Garden.

"You're here too? What's your deal with me anyways?"

"You need to stay on the right path..." He was speaking out loud this time.

"And what sort of path is that?"

He turned away from her, "Here in this world, hearts who were once lost can become one again. But their home worlds, they remain lost in darkness."

"You know people like this...do you not?"

"What? No I don't."

"Oh, but you do. In the realm where worlds sleep...you made a promise..."

He chuckled, "Better keep that promise...Xion..."

A dark portal started to form around him, and he disappeared.

…

Xion shook her head, "They always show up to spout cryptic junk and then leave..."

She crossed her arms over her chest, "I made a promise...in the realm where worlds sleep..."

She thought for a little bit, but just shook her head, "I can't think of it..."

Her arms fell to her sides and she decided to head towards the Third District.

…

…

…

There was still nobody in the Third District, and Xion was just about to leave.

Before somebody called to her from above.

"Ya know, I would have thought you'd remember that promise you made to us."

She looked up, "But, I guess your memory must have been a bit hazy."

…

She recognized that voice, and the guy sitting on the ledge above the fountain.

It was someone she'd met from the Sleeping Worlds.

"Joshua?" She yelled up to him.

Joshua hopped down, landing a few feet in front of her, "It's nice to see you again, Xion."

She smiled, "It's great to see you again! After I left the last time, I didn't think Kirux or I would ever meet you guys here!"

"Well, things are...complicated. But speaking of Kirux, is he not with you?"

…

Her smile faded, and the memories came back.

"Oh, right. Kirux is..."

"He's...dealing with some issues in another world. So, it's just me here."

Joshua didn't seem entirely convinced, but didn't ask any further questions, "Either way, I'm glad at least one of you is here. You see, there's a reason the others and I are still here. You remember me telling you about the Reaper's Game, right?"

"Yeah, I think so."

…

"Walk with me." He said, walking towards the door to the First District. Xion followed behind him.

"As I told you, Neku and everybody else have to complete quests if they wish to return back to their home world. Unfortunately for them, once the Dream Eaters and Unversed disappeared, the missions stopped coming. The clocks on their wrists went to zero, but they didn't fade or disintegrate. It's as if they're stuck in this world, and any attempts that I've made to contact the outside world and get us help have failed. We're lucky that you actually showed up."

"That's awful, Joshua. So...when Traverse Town returned from the sleeping realm, the game just...stopped."

By this time, they were in the back streets, climbing a tall staircase. Joshua slid his hands into his pockets.

"Exactly. These new monsters showed up not long after, but unlike any I've ever seen. So far, we've been able to keep them at bay, but everyone is getting worn down, and the monsters keep coming. The more that show up, the more powerful they become. Wave after wave they continue to manifest. Hopefully, now that we've got you and your Keyblade, and once Kirux finishes what he's doing, we'll have two. That'll turn the tides, hopefully."

"Yeah." Xion nodded, "Him and I will be able to help you guys find your way back to your home world, once he comes back."

"'Comes back'?" Joshua asked her.

"I meant from what he's doing."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

Joshua still didn't seem convinced, but again didn't ask any more questions.

…

…

…

"The others should be just ahead." He said as they entered the Fountain Plaza. Sure enough, everybody was gathered around in a circle on top of the massive grate in the ground.

They noticed Joshua walking up, and one of them spoke, "Did you find anything?"

"Yes. I found us help. An old friend of ours."

He stepped aside, and Xion waved at them, "Hey guys!"

"Xion!" She recognized Rhyme and Shiki, as the two of them ran up to them. She also saw Neku and another guy she didn't know still standing over on the grate.

"It's so nice to see you again! How have you been?" Shiki asked Xion.

"I'm just fine."

"Are you here to help us get out of this town?" Rhyme asked her next, while Xion just nodded to her.

…

Neku walked up, standing next to Shiki. Xion smiled at him, "Hello Neku. It's nice to see you again."

He didn't say much, just smiling and nodding to her, "Likewise."

Xion looked over at the other guy, "Who's he?"

Rhyme answered her, "That's Beat. Sorry, he's not good with strangers."

She turned back, "Beat, it's fine! She's on our side!"

"Ya sure about that? She could be with those things for all we know!"

"She's not! Now get your butt over here and introduce yourself!"

…

He walked over, saying "Name's Beat. You sure you're not on their side?"

"If I was, would we be standing here talking?"

He didn't respond.

Joshua walked up, "Look, it's great that we're all caught up in reunions. But we've got work to do. Neku, have any of those monsters showed up since I've been gone?"

Neku shook his head, "No. This entire side of town has been clear."

"If those monsters come back, we'll be toast! We can't handle any more of them, y'know?"

"Relax Beat. We've lasted this long, and now that we've got Xion on our side, we'll be able to deal with them just fine."

…

"Xion," Shiki spoke up, "We've been stuck in this town for what feels like months. Do you have any idea on how we can get out of this loop or something?"

"Yeah. You got any ideas?"

Xion crossed her arms, and sighed, "I'm sorry you all, but I know as much as you do. Truth is, I know pretty much nothing about what's going on here. I probably came shouldn't have even been able come to this world. Normally, it's block off unless someone's world has been destroyed."

"So our world's...been destroyed?"

"I don't know. It doesn't make any sense..."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Traverse Town - KH1**_

 _ **Play: Hand in Hand - KH3**_

 **With KH3's release, I can now use its music. Enjoy it, because it's amazing.**

* * *

Xion noticed something on the ground behind the group. Soon after, Shadows started appearing out of the ground.

She pointed at them, "Heartless! Behind you!"

They all parted as more Shadows appeared out of the ground, and Air Soldiers appeared in the air.

Xion ran in front of them, her Keyblade appearing, "Get to cover! Let me deal with these guys!"

Joshua, Rhyme, and Beat ran off to find safety, but Neku and Shiki didn't.

They nodded to one another, and ran up to Xion's sides.

She noticed them, "Neku? Shiki? What are you doing?"

"We're gonna help out. These guys are responsible for keeping us here." Neku started.

"So we're gonna fight by your side!" Shiki finished.

Xion smiled, nodding to Shiki, "Alright. Let's get 'em!"

…

…

…

Xion took out two Shadows at once with one slash, while taking out another one from above. An Air Soldier dove down at her, but she dodged it and smacked it into the ground.

Neku and Shiki were holding their own against the Heartless. Neku was using pillars of fire to keep them away, and those that got close he'd just kick or punch back. Shiki was controlling her cat doll, and it was slashing at the Heartless even taking down an Air Soldier. At one point, a green orb flew from Shiki to Neku, and back to Shiki after Neku took down a Shadow.

"I need help over here!" Shiki yelled, as the Heartless were swarming around her. In response, Xion put her Keyblade in the air, and pillars of light shined down on all of the Heartless, taking out the ones surrounding Shiki.

Neku soon got himself surrounded as well, doing his best to use the fire to keep them back. But there were too many, and he called out for help.

Xion ran in front of him, striking down any Heartless that got close to her. She threw her Keyblade, taking out five Heartless, but there were still too many.

Shiki appeared at her side, saying, "We've got this!" "Right!"

The two of them worked together, slashing the Heartless (with Keyblade and cat doll) repeatedly. When they were finished, Shiki's cat did an uppercut, passing the green orb to Xion. Xion jumped up, and fired one massive blast of light at the Heartless taking them all out.

She landed on the ground, high fiving Shiki.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Hand in Hand - KH3**_

* * *

There was clapping coming from in front of them.

The hooded guy was back again.

"Well done. You haven't lost a step."

Xion pointed her Keyblade at him, "You! Are you the one that's keeping these guys here? Preventing them from going home?"

He stopped clapping, "No. I'm not responsible for what goes on in this world..."

"I am, however, responsible for what you-" he pointed at Xion. "-do in these worlds..."

He let his arm fall, "After all, you're after something important, aren't you..?"

He waved at her, "Keep up the good work..."

He was starting to disappear, but Xion ran forward at him, "Wait!"

She slashed at him, but the blade went straight through him.

He whispered, "I'm always closer than you think..."

 _"That voice...it sounds...familiar..._ _"_

He disappeared.

…

"So, what was that all about?" Joshua asked, walking up with Rhyme and Beat.

Xion's Keyblade disappeared, "I'm not sure. But that guy...he seemed familiar, somehow..."

She shook her head, "Never mind. Forget that."

The phone in her back pocket started ringing. She pulled it out, and answered.

Ienzo's face popped up on the screen, "Hello Xion. Any luck in Traverse Town?"

"Hey Ienzo. Unfortunately, this place was a bust. But I did find some of my old friends here, and they're trapped. They can't get back to their own world for some reason. Got any ideas?"

"Well, the most likely reason is their own world is unavailable. Either it's fallen to darkness or it's been destroyed.

Xion and everyone else sighed sadly.

"I'm sorry for your friends, Xion. Once we retrieve Kirux again, perhaps you and Kirux will be able to restore this world, or if they are simply being held their against their will, break that hold and allow them to head home."

"Alright. Sounds good."

Ienzo hung up after that, Xion putting the phone away.

…

"Okay Xion. Tell us the truth." Joshua asked.

"Huh?"

"That guy said "retrieve Kirux again" like you lost him. I know he's not off in some other world. So, tell us what happened."

Xion said nothing.

…

Eventually, she sighed, "It's...hard to explain. But Kirux...lost his heart."

The entire group, except Neku and Joshua, gasped.

"The real reason I came here is because I'm looking for a way to find his heart and return it to him. When I learned this is where people go when they're recompleted, I had to check."

"I'm...sorry about that, Xion."

Xion looked down.

Memories started to come back.

"It's been three weeks since he's been gone, and...I miss him so much..." She whispered, holding her hands together.

* * *

 _ **Play: Calling - The World Ends With You**_

* * *

"Hey, don't give up hope." Shiki said, standing before Xion.

Xion looked up at her, who was smiling.

"You'll find Kirux again. If your hearts are connected, then you'll always find a way back to one another."

"She's right." Neku said, "We all found our ways back to one another, so there's no reason you shouldn't too."

They all stood side by side, smiling at Xion.

…

…

…

Eventually, Xion smiled too.

"You're right. Thanks you guys."

"So...are you gonna go after that guy in black?" Joshua asked her.

"Yeah, which means...I'll have to leave."

"Just don't keep us waiting too long." Neku said to her.

"I won't, and don't worry. Kirux and I will get you guys home. I promise."

"We're counting on it, Xion."

She nodded, smiling at them all.

"See you guys soon!" She said before running towards the First District.

…

…

…

Right before she was opening the doors to leave, she thought back to what the guy in black said.

 _"I'm always closer than you think..."_

"Who is that guy? And why does he seem so...familiar?"

She shook her head, "I'll find out soon enough."

She pushed the doors open, leaving Traverse Town.

* * *

 **For some reason, I feel like this is underwhelming. Let me know if you think so too.**

 **The wait won't be nearly as long for the next one. I can guarantee that.**

 **See y'all next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	38. XXXVIII - Pursuit of Kirux III

**Guess what? It didn't take almost a month and a half for me to update! Everyone celebrate!**

 **Okay, now that that's out of the way, tell me if you have played KH3. If you have, what did you think about the ending, epilogue, and secret ending? I personally loved all of it, but I want to know what you all thought about it. Please do let me know.**

 **I said that last thing because, guess what, there's a big spoiler for KH3 towards the end of the chapter. It's nothing that has to deal with story, but there's an important location that is shown. It's not a very long part, and it's at the very end, but if you want to skip it, by all means go ahead.**

 **Anyways, you have been warned. Now let's get on with it.**

* * *

 _ **Play: The Afternoon Streets - KH3**_

* * *

The tram had started running earlier than usual. Tram Common was buzzing with life. There was a new restaurant that had just opened in town, and people were lining up at the door to try and get their hands on whatever food they could.

That's what Xion ran into when she reached the bottom of the hill and entered Tram Common.

She noticed all of the people around where the new restaurant was, "Wonder what all of the buzz is about."

"Hey! Xion!" Someone called from behind her. When she turned around, she saw Hayner, Pence, and Olette running down the hill towards her.

She smiled, "Hey guys."

They stopped in front of her, "Where have you been the last few weeks?"

Pence spoke after, "You and Kirux just up and vanished one day, without telling anybody."

Olette finished, "Where did you two go, and where's Kirux?"

…

"I'm sorry, you guys. Kirux and I had some...unfinished business to deal with outside of town, and well..."

She didn't want to tell them about what had happened to Kirux, so she lied, like she had down to Joshua in Traverse Town, "Kirux is just tying up some loose ends. He'll be back soon."

"Well, you could have at said goodbye..." Hayner said, crossing his arms.

"I'm sorry, Hayner. Really. It was sudden, and there wasn't any time."

Olette stepped forward, smiling, "Well anyway, we're glad that you're back. You've really missed a lot since you were gone."

"Like what?" Xion asked.

"Well, Seifer and his gang vanished one day, just like you did." Hayner started.

"And the bistro that was being constructed opened today." Pence said.

Xion glanced over her shoulder, "That explains why this part of town is so busy."

Olette stepped forward, "You need to check it out once you're not busy. Tell Kirux about it when you next see him."

"I will, once he gets back from...ya know what, never mind."

…

…

…

"So, what made you and Kirux leave town?" Olette asked Xion as they were all walking together.

"We're investigating something. Kirux and I are looking for Roxas. I told you about him in the past, right?"

"You have. I think we might've heard something from Sora about him too."

"Well, anyways. Kirux and I have been looking for him for a while now. It's been something we've been trying to do, but haven't had any luck."

" To be honest, the real reason I'm back in town is because I'm looking for anything that could help us in finding him."

"Well, why don't you check the old mansion?" Pence said from behind, "The computer is still down in the basement. We could check if there's anything that could help."

"I was hoping it still is, and...I'm gonna need your help with that, Pence. You know a lot more about computers than I do."

"I'll be glad to help in any way I can."

"We'll help too. You said that he was our friend, in the other Twilight Town. So, let's help you track him down." Hayner said.

"Thanks you guys. I appreciate it."

…

…

…

"Eugh, since when did we have to walk through the sewers to get to the mansion?" Xion asked.

"Xion, they sealed the wall before you left. You remember that, right?"

"Of course I do, but...the sewers were the better option in getting here?"

"Did you wanna _climb over_ the wall?" Hayner asked.

Xion looked up at the wall. It _was_ a long drop, and a long climb up.

She sighed, "Whatever. Are we almost to the mansion?"

"It's just up ahead. Did you forget how big the town was?"

"No, it's just...it's been a long couple of weeks."

"Well, come on! We're almost there."

…

The others walked ahead, and Xion went to follow them.

A voice stopped her in her tracks, "How does it feel to be back home?"

She turned around, and of course, the guy in black was here, "Well, if you can even call it that."

"How long are you gonna keep following me around?" She said, glaring at him.

"Oh, don't worry. Your journey is almost over. You've only got so little time left..."

"Well, what about you? How much time do _you_ have left?"

He didn't answer for a few seconds, "Why do you care?"

"Because, your voice...it sounds familiar, almost as if it belonged to a friend of mine..."

The guy in black said nothing.

He waved his hand, disappearing into a dark portal.

…

 _"Could that guy be...no, it couldn't."_

 _"But...it's possible...right?"_

"Hey Xion! You coming or not?!" Someone yelled at her.

She looked over, "Oh, yeah. I'm coming."

She ran after them.

…

…

…

They made their way to the basement, into the room where DiZ's (or Ansem, the real Ansem) computer was located.

"Here we go!" Pence said, running up and sitting in the chair.

"Okay, the password was..."sea-salt ice cream," right?"

"Unless someone came in and changed it, then yeah."

Pence typed it into the computer, and the screen flashed to the computer's home page.

"Perfect, I'm in. Now let's get that transporter working..."

He was pressing buttons when the screen started to flash red.

"This isn't good..."

"What's happening?" Xion asked.

"The transporter's been protected, somehow."

"Protected from what?"

"From us I guess. Whatever it is, it's not letting us use it to get to the other Twilight Town."

Xion crossed her arms over chest, "Great..."

"Why won't it work? We used it before! We sent Sora and the others there before!"

"Yeah, well that was then and this is now."

"There's no other way?" Olette asked.

"None that I know."

…

Xion sighed, _"This ruins everything."_

Then, the phone in her back pocket started ringing.

 _"Must be Ienzo."_ She thought, pulling it out and answering it.

Of course, it was Ienzo, "Hello Xion. You wouldn't happen to be in front of a computer right now, right?"

"Hey Ienzo. Yeah, we are. But how did you know that?"

"I was tinkering with Ansem's computer to decrypt whatever code was left in it. And I noticed that someone had logged in from another terminal. I figured that I might be you."

"Oh, yeah. That was my friend Pence. He's right here."

"That's good. As long as it's a user we know we can trust."

"Hey, it's Pence talking." Pence said, Xion moving the phone closer to him, "We've got a problem. I'm kind of stuck here. One of the programs is protected, so I can't run it."

"Which program?"

"The transporter to the other Twilight Town. It's the only way to find Roxas. Can you give us a hand?"

…

Ienzo seemed confused, "Roxas? I thought...we were looking for Kirux. Is that not what your plan was, Xion?"

Hayner, Pence, and Olette were confused. Xion cringed heavily.

 _"I really, really wish he hadn't said that."_

"Wait...Kirux? I thought Kirux was-,"

"There's been a change of plans for now, Ienzo. The other Twilight Town. Can you give us any input?"

Ienzo said nothing for a few seconds.

Xion look up, and got mixed reactions from the three of them. Hayner looked upset, Pence looked confused, and Olette concerned.

"Is there something you're not telling us, Xion?" Olette asked.

"Of course there is! She's lied about Kirux, obviously!" Hayner said angrily.

"I'm...sorry. I'll explain everything as soon as we're done here."

…

Ienzo finally spoke up again, "Okay, I think I might have something. You're saying there's another Twilight Town...a virtual town made of data, within the computer."

"I might be able to do something about this. Pence, why don't you and I setup a network?"

"Sure."

"Here. Take this." Xion said, handing Pence the phone.

As soon as Pence took it, Hayner grabbed her arm and dragged her to the other side of the room. Olette was already there, standing with her back to the stairs.

Hayner let go of Xion, standing next to Xion, "Now, talk. Tell us what happened."

"You guys..."

"Xion, we just want to know the truth. That's it. If it's not Roxas you're after, then...just tell us what happened."

…

Xion sighed, "Okay, fine. You win."

"I'm...still not sure what caused it, but something happened to Kirux's heart. One day, him and I were helping someone, a friend of a friend, and Kirux just...faded away, without any trace of him left."

"The real reason I came back to town was to see if that computer had anything on Kirux. I know he worked with them in the past, so I just had to check and see."

Hayner's anger had seemingly gone away, "Jeez Xion. That...I'm sorry..."

"How long has it been since it happened?" Olette asked her.

"Three weeks. It...it's been worst three weeks of my life. I...miss him, so much..."

A memory flashed through her head.

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Afternoon Streets - KH3**_

* * *

Her and Kirux were in Twilight Town on a mission, back in the Organization days. They were tasked with taking down a certain large Heartless, and were fighting it in the Sandlot.

She had been knocked down by it, and it had her pinned down.

"Hey ugly!" Kirux yelled from behind. The Heartless turned towards him, and he shot a blast of dark fire in its face.

The Heartless turned its attention towards Kirux, and ran at him. Kirux jumped in the air, smacked it in the face with his Keyblade, landed and ran towards Xion.

Kirux put a hand out to her, "Nobody told you to take a break."

She took his hand, Kirux pulling her to her feet. She looked past him, saying, "I think all you did was make it angry."

He turned back, and sure enough the Heartless was barreling towards them again.

Xion summoned her Keyblade back.

…

The Heartless stopped suddenly, swinging its giant tail towards them.

"Get down!" Kirux yelled, ducking as quickly as he could. Xion, on the other hand, wasn't quick enough.

The Heartless struck her, throwing her against the wall. She dropped her Keyblade, it fading away again.

"XION!" Kirux yelled. The Heartless ran over towards her, and was about to attack again and finish her off.

Kirux appeared in front of her, and shot a constant stream of dark fire into the Heartless's face.

He would've stopped to get it to back off, but he didn't this time. After a few seconds, the Heartless caught fire.

Kirux backed off, as the Heartless thrashed back and forth from the flames.

At one point, the flames subsided. The Heartless was weak and couldn't stand up.

Kirux walked up to it, and stabbed his Keyblade into its neck.

…

The Heartless faded away after that, along with Kirux's Keyblade.

He then immediately ran back to Xion, who was struggling to stand up.

"Hold on, Shi. I got ya." He said, helping stand her up.

"Kirux, I'm fine. I can walk...by myself..." She said weakly, trying to walk forward.

Unfortunately, she collapsed to one knee. Kirux was immediately at her side again, pulling her back to her feet.

"I need to get you back to the castle. You're hurt pretty badly."

"No, it's okay. Let's just...go to the clock tower."

"Are you sure? Xion, you've got-,"

"I'll be fine, Kirux. Just...please."

Kirux hesitated, but didn't object, "Alright. If that's where you wanna go."

* * *

 _ **Play: At Dusk, I Will Think of You... - KH 358/2 Days**_

* * *

"I still think I should take you back." Kirux said to her, handing her an ice cream bar.

"Kirux, I'm fine. I just...I was a little weak from that hit."

"A little? Xion, that thing almost knocked you out. You hitting the wall probably got you a concussion AT LEAST."

She took a bite, "You worry about me too much."

"I worry that you're pushing your body a little too hard. If today was bad, who's to say that it wouldn't be worse tomorrow? Or the next day? Or the day aft-,"

"I get it, Ki." She interrupted him, "I get it."

"Sorry. I just...I hate it when I see you get hurt like that. It makes me...angry, I guess."

She looked over at him, "You? Angry? Kirux, that's not possible."

"I know, but it...it just happens. I should have just pulled you down when it attacked."

He sighed, "I screwed up, and you got hurt because of it."

"Kirux..."

…

…

…

"Kirux, do you think I'm...special?"

He looked over at her, "Huh? Where did that come from?"

"Just answer the question please."

"Well, I uhm...I guess you are. I mean, you can wield a Keyblade, that's pretty special. But then again, so can Roxas. And I can too somehow, so-,"

"Kirux, that's not what I meant."

"Well, you're kind of not helping me with this, Xion!"

…

She looked him directly in the eyes, "Kirux, am I special...to you?"

He _still_ didn't quite understand, "Whaddya mean, Xion?"

"You care about me, right?"

"Well, of course I do. You're my best friend."

"But Roxas and Axel are too, and don't think I don't notice you act different when it's just you and I than when all four of us are here."

Kirux didn't respond, and looked away.

"So..? You gonna say something?"

…

Kirux sighed, "You want the truth?"

She nodded.

"Okay, here goes..." He took a deep breath, "I like you, Xion. If I didn't, you and I wouldn't be together up here right now. You're one of the only friends I have, and if it weren't for Axel and Roxas, I never would've become friends with you."

"But, I don't get the same enjoyment with Roxas and Axel than I do with you. Yeah, they're still my best friends, but you...you're different. Whenever I'm with you, I feel different than with Roxas and Axel. You make me happy, even when I know I shouldn't be able to. And..."

He hesitated, already embarrassed enough, "If I were to put it into shorter terms, I would say...that I just don't want to be friends with you, Xion."

"Wait, what?"

"No no no no no, that's not what I meant. What I meant...I don't want to be just friends with you, Xion. I...want to be more than that, just to you."

…

He looked away again, trying to hide the red in his cheeks, "There! I said it! You can laugh you want now!"

Xion wasn't laughing.

That was...really touching.

She felt something surge in her chest, into the heart that wasn't there.

"Kirux."

"Y-Yeah?"

"Look at me, please."

…

He turned his head back towards her, looking her in the eyes.

"So...is that what you wanted..?"

Xion didn't answer him.

She put a hand on Kirux's cheek, still contemplating whether or not to do this.

She made a decision.

 _"Screw it."_ She thought, and leaned in.

…

It wasn't a long kiss, but it was long enough for her to show him, "Hey, I feel the same way."

When Xion pulled back, she could see how unprepared Kirux was for that.

"Sorry," She whispered, "Whaddya think?"

"I think," he responded just as quietly, "that you owe me ice cream tomorrow."

…

She frowned, "Way to ruin the moment, you jerk."

"Well, you do. Munny doesn't grow on trees, Xion."

"You don't grow on trees."

"Oh, how unfortunate for you then."

She shook her head, taking another bite of ice cream.

…

"I will say," Kirux said after a while, "I'm glad...that you feel same way."

She smiled, scooting closer to him and resting her head on his shoulder, "Well, that just means you won't be able to get rid of me."

"Good," he said, taking a bite of his ice cream for the first time, "I don't plan on it."

* * *

 ** _Stop:_** At Dusk, I Will Think of You... - KH 358/2 Days

* * *

She felt one tear roll down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away.

"Are you okay?" Olette asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She lied.

She was anything but fine. She hasn't been "fine" since he's been gone.

…

"Hey. We're all done here." Pence called from behind her.

She walked back over, grabbing the phone from Pence's hand. Ienzo was still on the line.

"So, were you able to fix it?" She asked him.

"Now that our two computers have been successfully networked together, I can take control of the terminal there and change the privileges..."

"And Roxas?"

"Yes. For the virtual world to be completely realized, Ansem the Wise would've included Roxas's full data in the construction. Meaning, somewhere on your machine there's a log of that data that - uhh...basically, we can decipher Ansem's code more quickly _and_ we can analyze the virtual Twilight Town while we're at."

"That's great, but...Ienzo," she pulled the phone closer to herself, "Is there anything about Kirux in that data?"

He frowned, "Unfortunately, I do not know right now. Once I assess the data, I can give you an answer, but right now everything is unknown."

She sighed, "Okay. Thanks for everything, Ienzo."

"You're welcome, and...I apologize for what you're going through. I'm doing all that I can to help."

She smiled lightly, "You don't need to apologize, and you're doing enough. But...thanks."

...

She hung up, turning towards the others. They all had sad looks on their faces.

"What are you guys so upset about?"

"Well, Hayner and Olette told me what happened, and...well, Kirux was our friend too."

"Yeah, and we want to help you find him."

"I appreciate that guys, but...this is something I need to do. It was my fault Kirux went away, and it's gotta be my responsibility to make sure he comes back. And while I don't know where exactly he is right now, I just know that I'll find him soon."

* * *

There was no sound. No rushing of the wind, no crashing of the waves. Nothing.

Just silence.

His eyes finally opened up, facing the blue sky and clouds.

He sat up, looking around the area he was in. There was...no land. He was sitting on water right now.

The area was just...empty.

 _"What in the world..?"_ He thought to himself.

He went to stand up, continuing to look around.

He then went to look at his hand, and noticed something strange.

His body was...see through. The outline of himself was there, but no substance, like the frame of a building.

"Where am I?" He said lightly.

* * *

 **Entered New World: The Final World**

* * *

 **There we go. Glad I got this up super quickly, because if I hadn't it probably would've been three weeks or something.**

 **I hope you enjoyed, even for those who skipped the last part because they wanted to avoid spoilers.**

 **Have a nice day, and I'll see y'all again really soon.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	39. XXXIX - Revenge and Reunion

**Warning: The KH3 spoilers are still plentiful. If you wanna avoid this chapter, I'm not gonna be mad. I understand.**

 **For those of us who are still here, let's keep going.**

* * *

"So, where to next for you Xion?" Olette asked as they all left the mansion.

Xion thought for a second, "I'm not sure right now. If that guy in black shows up again, I guess I'll just follow wherever he goes."

"Guy in black?"

"She's talking about me..." A voice called from behind them.

* * *

 _ **Play: Thirteenth Discretion - KH Re:COM**_

* * *

They all stopped and turned back, seeing the guy in black in front of the mansion gates.

Xion stared at him angrily.

She took a few steps closer to him, stopping about halfway between him and Hayner, Pence, and Olette.

"You just had to keep digging, didn't you..?" He said to Xion.

"What's it to you?"

"When are you gonna accept it? He's gone, Xion. He's not coming back..."

…

"Xion, is he talking about Kirux?" Either Pence or Hayner asked her.

"Of course he is." She answered.

"How does he know about him?"

"Because..." She started.

…

…

…

"...he _is_ Kirux."

The three of them gasped simultaneously, all saying "What?!"

"Take off your hood. Show them who you really are..."

"Show _me_ who you really are..."

The guy in black did nothing at first.

Then, he raised his hands up to his hood.

Sure enough, Xion was right.

Kirux stood before them all.

…

"But...Xion said you were-,"

"Dead?" He laughed, "I was, for a while."

"And our good friend Xion over here did nothing to try and change that, for three whole weeks."

Xion clenched her fists, "Hayner, Pence, Olette, head back to town."

"But-,"

"Just do it. I don't want any of you to get hurt."

They hesitated, but she heard their footsteps as they ran off.

…

"You knew," he said, advancing slowly towards her, "You knew what had happened, and you knew there was a way to bring me back. And yet, you didn't."

"I didn't know how..."

"You're lying to yourself, Xion."

"You're not real..."

"You couldn't do anything except sit around and feel sorry for yourself, for three damn weeks!"

"SHUT UP!"

She pulled her Keyblade out, and swung at him.

He was quick to react, smacking her Keyblade away with his own.

…

She fell backwards, landing on the ground at the edge of the forest.

He started to laugh maniacally.

She got up, "W-why?"

She had tears coming from her eyes, which "Kirux" noticed, "Aww, did I make you sad? Heh, sorry about that."

"But you know what, I feel like being a nice guy. So tell me, what is it that you want?"

She stood back up, "Tell me...the truth...who are you..?"

He smiled, "It's not a matter of who...it's a matter of what."

"Huh?"

He started advancing again, "No, I'm not really Kirux. Hell, I'm not even a person."

"I'm an Unversed, created from the darkness in your heart, Xion."

…

"But," she said, holding a hand up to her heart, "How is that possible?"

"I'll tell you how. You remember when Vanitas tried to take control of your heart back in the Sleeping Worlds? Well, that monster you defeated in the darkness wasn't actually him. It was a special Unversed, one that can take human form when needed."

"When Kirux disappeared, and you fell into that deep state of depression, all that sadness and pain started to take shape into a new monster."

"And what better shape for me to take...than the one you held closest and yet still lost."

"So...you're not...really Kirux?"

He stopped moving towards her, "Nope. I never was. And throughout your little expedition, the pain of losing him only grew stronger within you. And with that, I grew stronger too."

"I'm a whole different being, Xion. What you defeated in your heart was nothing compared to what I can do now."

…

"I don't care...what you are..." Xion started, "You're not him..."

"Kirux" said nothing.

"And if I need to take you down for him to come back...then I will..."

He put a hand, "Gonna have to stop you there. Remember, you have to be where he lost his heart originally. Fighting here would be pointless."

The Keyblade in his hand faded away, "Buuut, like I said, I feel like being a nice guy. So, if you're up for it, I'll be waiting at the Graveyard."

A dark portal appeared, "Oh, and one more thing. You better show up alone, unless you want me to take out two birds with one stone."

He turned and waved at her, "I'll see you soon, "friend"."

He laughed, and went through the portal.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Thirteenth Discretion - KH Re:COM**_

* * *

Xion's grip on her Keyblade loosened. She stared down at the ground.

She knew she had to go after him, and destroy him.

 _"But...he looked like Kirux. How can I know if it_ was _really him?"_

 _"No, it isn't him. It's not. It can't be..."_

 _"It just...can't be..."_

She collapsed to her knees, her Keyblade falling to her side. She didn't know why, but she started crying.

This whole thing was just too much for her.

Losing Kirux, having to deal with him being gone, this whole thing with trying to bring him back. It was too much for her and her heart to handle.

Her heart still hurt from loosing him, and now that this "Unversed" was running around looking like him, it hurt her so badly.

 _"I wish he was here. He would know what to do..."_

…

"Now come on. Don't give up now."

She recognized the voice. It was Lea.

She noticed him crouch down to her left, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"You've come this far and now you're just gonna give up?"

Xion sniffled, wiping her eyes, "You don't understand now. It...it hurts..."

"What hurts? Did he attack you?"

"No...it's just..."

She stuttered, "All of my strength...came from him. And now that he's gone, I'm - I'm worthless."

She looked over at her Keyblade, "I'm not worthy of being a Keyblade Master..."

…

"Xion, you don't believe that. I know you don't."

He started to help her stand up, moving in front of her, "Now, chin up."

She looked up at him, "Wipe those tears, and let's go after that thing."

"But, he said to go alone...or else it'd be ""two birds with one stone"."

Lea waved his hand, "Forget what he said. I'm coming with you. You and I need to work together if we're gonna get our friend back."

Xion wiped her eyes, "Axel..."

He placed a hand on her shoulder, "You don't have to do this alone, Xion. I'm here for you, okay?"

Xion said nothing.

She went forward and hugged him tightly, "Thank you, Axel..."

He just tapped her on the shoulder, "Of course, Xion."

She let him go and pulled back, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Positive."

"Okay..." she walked behind him, "Let's go."

* * *

 _ **Play: The Final World - KH3**_

* * *

He was walking forward on the water, although it seemed like he was walking on a treadmill. He looked around, but never found anything in the void.

It looked as if he was alone, but onward he continued.

Eventually, he heard a voice, _"It's been awhile since you came through here."_

He stopped, calling out, "Hello?"

…

A light started to fall down from the sky, a few feet ahead of him.

The light hit the water, and flashed brightly. He covered his eyes, turning back when they light was gone.

In front of him, there was a small animal standing there. It was wearing a cape and a bag around its neck, which covered its chest.

"The name's Chirithy. And this is The Final World." It said.

"You can...talk?"

"Yeah...is that the weirdest thing you've seen so far?"

He crouched down, looking over Chirithy a bit more, "You're a...Dream Eater?"

"That's right. Again, is this really the weirdest thing you've seen here?"

…

He stood back up, "No, uh...never mind. My name's Kirux. What's the..."Final World"?"

"There's nothing else beyond this. You've wandered here once before on your visits to the Station of Awakening, but I let that slide."

Chirithy continued, "The edges of sleep and death touch, and one can't help the occasional crossover."

"Wait, "death"?"

"Yes. The natural end for those who's hearts and bodies perish together. But some persist, and arrive here."

"My heart and body...perished? Does...that mean..."

"Something is holding you here - refusing to let you go. You're hanging by a thread."

"But...what about Terra? Is he okay? Did his heart return to him? And...and Xion..?"

 _"Oh no, Xion..."_

"I'm afraid that no one else arrived with you. And if they're not here, they're either gone forever, or they're clinging to the world you came from."

…

Kirux shook, "No, I'm going back!"

He pulled his Keyblade, and turned around.

"Whoa whoa! How exactly? You can't just wander out like your other visits."

"What?"

"I told you. The other times you came here by your own choice. This time is very different. To become your old self again and return to the real world, you'll have to piece yourself back together in this world first."

"My body is in pieces? Agh, that's gross!"

"What? No, not literally of course. You're conceptually in pieces. On the inside, who knows, but on the outside you're just fine."

Kirux let his Keyblade fade away, "Whew, that's a relief. You really freaked me out there."

"Oh boy..." Chirithy said, then shook their head, "Usually, only a heart can reach The Final World. But since you've clearly managed to retain some kind of form, that can only mean your body was cast into this world as well."

"Okay, so if I can find my body, does that mean that I can go back?" Kirux asked.

"Precisely. But there's a lot of you to find. You're going to be busy."

Chirithy faded away, and Kirux noticed figures walking around. They were...him.

"Those must be pieces of me." He said, as he went forward and touched one. It faded away.

He went and gathered the rest, and his head gained full form, along with partial amounts of his torso.

…

…

…

There was a pink portal that appeared before him, but something else caught his eye. A sparkling star.

He went towards it, not expecting it to talk. But, it did.

"Kirux? Is...that you?"

"Yeah, but...who's this?"

"Kirux, it's me. Naminé."

He gasped, "Naminé?!"

"I'm so glad you managed to hold on to who you are, unlike me."

"How did you get here?"

"I don't know. I was in Kairi's heart, and then all of the sudden, I ended up here suddenly."

"Does that mean something happened to Kairi?"

"I don't know. I can't feel her heart. I can feel...someone else's."

"Well, who's?"

…

"It's Xion's."

"What?!"

"Don't worry. She's not actually here, but...I can feel something strong. It's as if her heart isn't letting you go."

Kirux put a hand over her chest, "So, the reason I was able to maintain my form here..."

"It's because she's holding you together. You two keep each other whole. So when you came to this place, your connection with her never faded. It only became stronger."

"Kirux," Naminé continued, "You need to get back to her."

"I'm trying, Naminé. Trust me, having to leave her like I did, all alone with no one left...it hurts like hell."

He sat down next to the star, "It's like back then, when I lost her to Sora. I couldn't bear to do anything, because the pain of her not being there was too much for my heart to handle."

"I miss her so much. Even if we were only a room apart, the pain would still be there."

"I'm sorry, Kirux. That's why you need to get back to her."

…

He looked over at Naminé (or the star that was Naminé), "But what about you? I can't just leave you here."

"It's okay, Kirux. Really. Kairi is where I came from. So once she's safe again, Kairi is where I'll return."

Kirux looked down at the ground.

"No."

"No?"

He stood up, "I can't just sit here and let you hurt like this, Naminé. You can't tell me that you and Roxas are fine this way, having to be carried around in someone else's body, when you deserve to be your own person."

"I've been through pain like that...I've felt how you both feel."

"Roxas is the one they all miss. It's not me." Naminé said, "I know that's how it is for you."

"That's not true! Sora, Riku, Donald, Goofy, Axel, The King, and Kairi. They all miss you. Xion and Roxas too. I miss you the most of all. I mean...you're my friend, Naminé."

"I'll find a way to get you out of here. I'll get Sora and the others to help. They'll be happy to."

…

"Kirux. Thank you."

"No, Naminé. Thank _you_. You deserve just as much as I do to be yourself."

He turned around, looking back at her, "Once I'm back in the real world, we'll find a way to get you out."

"Okay, Kirux."

Kirux walked away, Naminé speaking one last time, "Be careful."

Her star faded away.

Kirux went on to keep recompleting himself.

* * *

Her footsteps were hard on the rock below her feet.

She continued forward, not straying from her path.

The guy in black was ahead, the one who called himself "Kirux."

He had his Keyblade in front of him, planted in the ground with his hands rested on top.

She stopped about ten yards away from him.

…

"Well, I guess there's no need to talk. We're both here, in the right place at the right time."

Xion said nothing.

"Ooh, silent treatment. I like that."

He pulled his Keyblade out of the ground.

"You ready?"

Xion still said nothing.

"Okay, come on. Say _something_."

…

She finally spoke, "I'm not afraid of you anymore."

She finally summoned her Keyblade.

 _"I'm going to end this. I'm going to destroy this thing."_

 _"I_ will _bring Kirux back. No matter what."_

…

Not-Kirux smiled, "You're not afraid? You?" He started laughing.

He stopped, then looked back up at her, "You will be..."

* * *

 _ **Play: Boss Theme #3 - KH3**_

 **Yes, this is the actually name. The OST isn't officially released yet, so I don't have the correct titles. Either way, enjoy the song.**

* * *

He formed a barrier around them, so she couldn't escape.

She readied herself, as did he.

 _"I've got this..."_

She ran towards him.

…

She swung at him, only to teleport away to her right.

"I'm over here." He taunted, as she ran over to him again. He did the same thing, this time behind her.

"Man, you're slow." He taunted her again.

She fired a ball of light at him, only for him to swat it away.

"You're off your game." He said to her, "Let me try."

He stopped time, teleported around her a couple of times, then reappeared in front of her.

"Don't blink," he said, snapping his fingers.

Xion got hit five times, all in quick succession. She was knocked back, but landed on her feet.

 _"Come on, Xion. Get it together."_

…

He ran towards her, lunging out trying to stab her. She dodged under it, parrying his two quick attacks after that.

He attacked again, but she blocked it, and retaliated. She knocked him into the air, jumped up and hit him a few times, then slammed him down into the ground. She then summoned a group of orbs of light, and threw them down into him.

When she tried to strike him on the ground again, he rolled out of the way, and their blades collided. She tried to push him back, but wasn't strong enough. Not-Kirux threw her off, then slammed his Keyblade into her stomach.

Xion flew backwards, hitting a wall and landing on the ground, almost being knocked unconscious.

"I'm ending this..." Not-Kirux said, and ran towards her.

…

Out of nowhere, two flaming discs flew towards him, striking him. He was knocked back, but flipped himself over and landed on his feet.

Lea landed in front of Xion, retrieving his two chakrams, "Get up, Xion!"

She slowly lifted herself back to her feet, standing next to Axel.

"Where's your Keyblade?"

He smiled embarrassingly, "Yeah, still having some trouble trying to summon it."

She shook her head, "Oh well. Come on. Let's get this guy."

"After you."

…

Lea charged up fire into his chakrams, throwing them at Not-Kirux. He deflected them, but Xion came back up and slammed her Keyblade into his. Axel then flew in from the side, and attacked him.

He swiped at Not-Kirux swiftly, getting in a few good hits, but not enough to harm him that badly. Not-Kirux eventually was able to guard them and get Axel back.

Xion was coming back in, and fired five orbs of light at him. He deflected the first two, but the final three came in and hit him, one hitting him in the face.

He slid back, using his Keyblade to stop him.

"Let's finish this, Axel!"

"Alright!"

…

He again charged his chakrams in fire, but rather than throwing, he ran up to Not-Kirux and use them to create a wall of fire around him that started to close in quickly, preventing escape. Xion then ran forward, cut through the wall of fire, and charged a blast of light.

She fired it at Not-Kirux, hitting him at point blank range.

He went sailing back, the Keyblade shattering and him slamming into a rock.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Boss Theme #3 - KH3**_

* * *

Not-Kirux was struggling to stand, and darkness was starting to pour out of his body.

He finally got to one knee, as Xion and Lea stood a few feet away from him.

"It's over! You lost!" Xion yelled at him.

…

He started laughing maniacally, and he didn't stop.

He looked back up at them, smiling, "I'd start running if I were you..."

Not-Kirux stood back up, and his body started to morph.

He began to charge up something, and then unleashed it after a few seconds.

He screamed out, and darkness began to surround them and the area.

…

When the darkness settled, Not-Kirux was gone.

Instead, there was a massive creature in its place. It looked like a wolf, but with spike on its legs and massive fangs. The Unversed he had mentioned.

It roared at Xion and Lea, who instinctively pulled their weapons back out.

"What is that?" Lea said in astonishment.

"I don't know, but...I think we should run..."

"Well, then why are we standing here?! Run!"

…

They both turned and ran, Xion looking back towards the Unversed. It was running towards them, and gaining ground really quickly.

"Axel, it's gaining on us!"

"Just keep running!"

It caught up to them, Xion first, and slammed her forward.

She hit a rock hard, and was instantly knocked out.

"Xion!" Lea yelled, running over to her. He slid to her side, but didn't have any time to evaluate her.

The Unversed was right on top of them.

It lunged its claws at Lea, and he braced for the impact...

* * *

Kirux finally had regained his body, and his figure had retaken its shape.

Chirithy reappeared in front of him, "I see that you found them all."

He nodded, "Yep."

"Then, isn't it time that you left?"

"So you're trying to get rid of me now, huh? I see how it is."

"What? I'm doing you a big favor here, you know. Don't push it."

…

Kirux spoke up, "Say, Chirithy. Are you like me and need to find your pieces?"

"No, I don't work like that."

"So, are you waiting for someone to come rescue you?"

"Mmm...sort of?"

"Well, why don't you tell me. I'll find them for you."

Chirithy resisted, "Uh, no no no no, that's okay. He doesn't remember the past. Besides, I'm sure he's much happier with his new friends. But I'll wait. He'll arrive here one day."

"Well, if you say so..."

He crouched down, "I'll be back to visit you one day."

"What?!"

"You and me are friends now, are we not?"

"Really? I've missed having friends."

Kirux smiled, "Yeah."

He stood up, "Well, I'll see you soon. My other friends need me."

"Okay. Be careful getting back."

"I will. Thanks again, Chirithy."

…

Kirux pulled his Keyblade back out, and pointed it at the ground in front of him.

A Keyhole appeared, shattering the ground. A pillar of light appeared in the center.

"Remember Kirux. Look for the light in the darkness."

He looked back, nodding and smiling.

Kirux whispered to himself, "I'm coming home, Xion..."

He walked forward, into the pillar of light.

Chirithy spoke one lase time, "May your heart be your guiding key."

* * *

It lunged its claws at Lea, and he braced for the impact...

But it stopped mid-lunge, and looked to the sky. Lea looked up as well.

A pillar of light shot into the ground, blinding Lea and sending the Unversed back.

Lea looked again, and saw someone on the ground.

…

They stood up, and he could recognize them through the light.

Kirux, with Keyblade in hand.

He gasped, then smiled, "Kirux!"

Kirux looked back at Lea, nodding once.

He turned his attention back to the Unversed, but not before picking Xion's Keyblade up off the ground.

He then ran towards the Unversed, jumped into the air, and struck it once.

The sound of him slicing through rung out.

…

He landed on the ground, on the other side of the Unversed.

It screamed out, and began to fade. Within a few seconds, it was gone.

His and Xion's Keyblades faded away, and he turned back and ran towards Lea.

He crouched on Xion's other side, assessing her.

Kirux put his hand out, stroking her face lightly.

"I'm sorry..." He said lightly, resting his hand on her cheek.

He turned to Lea, "We need to get her to Master Yen Sid's, now."

Lea nodded, "Okay."

Kirux picked her up while Lea opened a portal, and the two of them went through.

* * *

Her eyes slowly opened up, noticing she wasn't in the Keyblade Graveyard anymore.

"Thank goodness. You're awake." She heard a voice say, a female.

Xion saw Kairi to her right, Riku standing behind her. They were both smiling at her.

"You've been out for a long time. We were starting to get worried.

She sat up, "Riku? Kairi? Wha-," she looked around, "How did I get back to Yen Sid's tower?"

"You were knocked out during the fight," she heard Lea say to her left. He was sitting in a chair against the wall, "We brought you back as soon as it was over."

…

"Hold on..."we"? Axel, you and I were the only ones there..."

Suddenly, Kairi and Riku's faces changed. Their smiles disappeared.

"Guys, what happened?"

Lea sighed, standing up and walking over to her.

"Here, take it. It's for you." He said, handing her a folded piece of paper.

She opened it up, reading what was written.

…

…

…

 _"Go to the clock tower. We need to talk..."_

…

…

...

She dropped the paper, it falling slowly to the floor.

"Xion? You okay?" Lea asked her.

She stood up, and ran out of the room and down the tower. When she got outside, she immediately hopped on the tram, and headed back to Twilight Town.

...

...

...

She ran over to where their usual spot, and saw him.

He saw her.

She froze.

He stood up, stepping off of where they sat.

After an eternity of silence, he spoke.

"Hey Xion. It's been awhile..."

* * *

 **You're welcome.**

 **Have a good night. See you soon.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	40. XL - Lover's Remorse

**There's no action or anything in this one. It's all just happy times and fluff (I hate using that word). Pretty fitting for Valentine's Day, I would say.**

 **Also, thank you all so much for getting "The Soldier of Darkness" past 15,000 views. It became my most viewed story easily some time last year, and this one became my second most viewed just last night. Thank you all so much.**

 **Now, please enjoy this roller coaster of a chapter.**

* * *

He was staring out at the sunset, his leg was propped up on the ledge. He was sitting kind of like how Axel does.

 _"Man, how does he sit like this?"_ He thought to himself, _"It's so uncomfortable."_

He didn't change the way he was sitting though. He just continued to watch the sunset and wait.

Waiting for what or for who?

Well…

 _"I hope she got the note. Axel should have given it to her when she woke up, but...it's been so long."_

He had been waiting for a few hours now. He didn't stay at the tower long before giving Axel the note for Xion.

…

He looked down, "Man, where is she? The ice cream is gonna melt."

He was holding two ice creams in his left hand, one for him and one for Xion. Unfortunately, she might not even get there in time before they both melted.

"I wonder if she'll even think I'm real, like an illusion or something."

He sighed, "I _really_ hope she doesn't get mad at me..."

…

 _"How_ is _she gonna feel? Will she be happy? Sad? Angry? All three at the same time? What about all three, in that order? Or some different order?"_

 _"Knowing Xion, it'll probably be all three at the same time. She's not a...never mind."_

 _"I'll just...wait until she gets here, explain what happened, and we'll move on like it's nothing. Right? Right. Okay, it's settled."_

He looked down at they ice cream, and to no surprise at all, it had pretty much all melted at this point.

He threw them away, "Well, great."

 _"And there goes my plan to try and calm her down if she gets too upset. Way to go, Kirux. You really do know how to plan ahead."_

…

He was getting restless now.

 _"If she doesn't show up soon, I should probably just go back to the tower and see her there. Or, I could keep waiting."_

 _"What if she...doesn't show up because she's moved on? I mean, come on. I can't just expect to come back and have everything be the same...right?"_

 _"I mean, what if she and Axel are - No, that wouldn't happen. But what about...Riku? No, that...wouldn't happen either. Would it?"_

He shook his head, smacking himself lightly against his temple, _"Calm down, Ki. Xion wouldn't do something like that. That's not like her."_

 _"But...what if she did?"_

He sighed, "Come on, man. Pull yourself together."

He took a deep breath, "When she shows up, just talk things out, and then you'll-,"

…

…

…

He was cut off when he heard footsteps coming up, and they were quick too.

He pretty much froze, _"Oh crap, I'm not ready for this..."_

 _"I can't believe I'm saying this, but please don't be Xion..."_

The footsteps stopped, and he turned to see who it was.

Against his wishes, it was Xion.

Standing a few feet in front him.

He was DEFINITELY not ready for this.

 _"Great..."_

…

He stood up and stepped down from the ledge, but...that was about all he could do.

In fact, all they could really do was stare at each other.

 _"Hello? Kirux? Ya gonna say something?"_

 _"Is SHE gonna say something?"_

He decided to talk first, "Hey Xion. It's been awhile..."

 _"REALLY?! THAT'S ALL YOU CAN SAY? YOU'VE BEEN GONE FOR WEEKS, NOT A FEW HOURS!"_

Kirux ran his hand through his hair, "So, uh...do you-,"

"You're not real..." She whispered.

…

…

…

 _"Wait, what?"_

"Wait, what?"

"You're...not...him..." she whispered again.

"Xion, what are you-,"

Before he could finish, he had a Keyblade right at his chest.

"Axel didn't finish you off, did he?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about! You turned into...that thing, and then attacked us! I don't know who else showed up, but they got Axel and I out of there."

Xion didn't stop, "So you came here, wrote that note, somehow got it to Axel, and brought me here to do what? Kill me?"

"Xion, I swear, I have-,"

"Don't call me that!" She yelled at him, "You're not Kirux! You're just here to make it hurt even more than it does, so you can keep getting stronger!"

 _"Jeez, what is she talking about?"_

"Xion, I'm not...whatever it is you're talking about. It's me, the _real_ me! Now, put the blade down and let's-,"

"No!" She yelled, pushing him back, "You can't fool me anymore!" I know you're not Kirux!"

"If you were, then...you'd be able to tell me something only Kirux knows. The real Kirux."

…

Kirux looked down at the ground.

 _"This did not go as planned, even though there was no plan."_

 _"Something only I would know. Man..."_

 _"I guess...I'll say this..."_

He looked back up at her, and took a shot in the dark, "You...would never admit, but you always really liked Roxas. At some points, even more than myself..."

Xion said nothing, so he continued, "You forced me into making friends with Hayner, Pence, and Olette. You secretly rooted against me in the Struggle tournament because I had beaten you in the round before...barely beaten you."

"Sometimes, you didn't want to go to the clock tower after missions and would just want to be with me. You once tried to cut my hair in my sleep because you liked me more when it was shorter."

Xion's grip on her Keyblade loosened, "You used to collect seashells and give them to me, Roxas, and Axel. You had us hold on to them, because you had heard that they might bring us good luck. And, well..."

Kirux reached into his back pocket, and pulled out that shell. It had a normal seashell shape, with sky blue on one end and fading into yellow on the other side.

"I think that it brought me back to you..."

* * *

 _ **Play: Friends In My Heart - KH2**_

* * *

When he showed her that, that was it. She broke.

She looked up into his eyes, it being hard to see through her newly formed tears, and spoke softly, "K-Kirux?"

Kirux brought a hand up and lowered her blade, placing both of his hands on her shoulders, "It's me, Xion. I'm here now..."

She dropped her Keyblade, it fading away at their feet.

She ran her hand along his arm, just to see if she was dreaming or this was an illusion.

She wasn't and it wasn't. It was all real.

Kirux was here again...

…

"It - it's you. It's really you..." she said.

Kirux smiled down at her, "It's me..."

Xion couldn't hold back any longer. She fell forward, collapsed into his chest, and started to sob uncontrollably. Kirux wrapped her arms around her, holding her as close to him as possible and burying his face in her hair.

 _"I'm not gonna cry. I'm not gonna cry. I'm NOT gonna cry."_

Unfortunately for him, tears started to form in Kirux's eyes.

 _"Ah, damnit..._ "

…

However, Kirux thought at that moment, that he did not care.

He did not care about Xehanort and whatever he was doing. He didn't care if Axel came around the corner and tried to get them to come back to the tower, on Master Yen Sid's request.

He would tell them to shove it.

He was gonna spend time with Xion, and that was final.

They weren't gonna take her away from him again.

…

Kirux pulled back after what felt like an eternity and spoke to her, "Come on, why don't we watch the sunset together?"

"O-okay..." she said, her voice muffled from his chest.

"Hey, look at me..."

She did pull back, still barely able to see through her tears. Kirux brushed some of them away, but it did little to stop the flow.

He helped her sit down on the edge, all the while keeping her close to him. He kept at least one of his arms around her, while Xion was resting her head against him.

"I had ice cream before, but it melted before you got here. Sorry..."

"That would be nice to have right now..."

"Do you want me to go get more for you?"

She shook her head, "No, don't go. Please, stay..."

Kirux smiled, pulling Xion closer to him, "I'm not going anywhere, Xion..."

…

…

…

"I missed watching the sunset like this..."

"Yeah, so did I..."

"You never came here while I was gone?"

"No. It just...didn't feel right without you..."

Xion looked down at their feet, "Nothing...felt right without you. I...I missed you so much, it just...nothing seemed worth it..."

"Xion..."

She shut her eyes, "I've never felt more alone in my life. Everywhere I would go, I would think of you. Every night, I had dreams about you. I couldn't go anywhere or do anything without thinking about you, and they...they started to say you were gone forever, and I...I believed them..."

"Where...where did you go, after it happened?"

Kirux also looked down, "I'm not sure. All I remember was floating in the darkness, and then...out of nowhere, I ended up in this weird place. There was a Dream Eater there, called themselves Chirithy, and they said I had gone to "The Final World"."

He continued, "I...ran into Naminé there. She said that you were the one keeping me whole, and that you weren't ready to let me go. If you hadn't, then I...probably wouldn't be here."

Xion spoke lightly, "Well, I didn't. I could feel it in my heart. I knew you were still out there, somewhere..."

She yawned, "And no matter what happened, I told myself...I would get you back..."

Kirux smiled.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Friends In My Heart - KH2**_

* * *

The sun was starting to go over the peak.

"It's gonna get dark soon," Kirux said, looking down at her, "Do you...want to go back to Master Yen Sid's?"

She didn't respond, so Kirux called her again, "Xion?"

She curled closer against him, not speaking. She had fallen asleep.

Kirux just smiled, "Figures..."

He shook her lightly, trying to wake her up. She opened her eyes slowly.

"Hey, wake up Shi." He said lightly.

Kirux stood up, putting a hand out to her, "Come on. Let's go home."

Xion took his hand, and very clumsily stood up. She rubbed her eyes, yawning again.

She could barely walk straight, so Kirux wrapped an arm around, keeping her steady.

"Don't worry. I got you..." He said, guiding her away and down the clock tower.

…

Kirux opened the door, guiding Xion inside their room they had.

 _"It's been too long since we've been_ _here..."_ he thought to himself.

He brought Xion over to the bed, helping her lay down.

Kirux noticed something on the desk next to the bed.

He picked it up, looking over it, and remembered what it was.

It was a picture of him and Xion, a couple of months ago before they left town to go see Yen Sid.

He remembered when Pence had taken that picture. It was right after the Struggle tournament, after Kirux had lost to Hayner in the final round.

Him and Xion were standing together, him having an arm wrapped around her waist. Xion had her arms around his torso, her head against his shoulder.

 _"We looked so happy, and...I took that away from her..."_

He looked back over at Xion, who was sound asleep.

He just...stared.

 _"Man, I forgot how beautiful she can be..."_

 _"How did I get so lucky with her? She could've had anyone else, and yet...she's stuck with me this whole time..."_

He sighed, putting the picture back down and climbing into bed next to her.

Within seconds, she had moved next to him and wrapped her arm over his chest.

…

"Kirux..?" She whispered lightly.

"Yeah Shi?"

She pulled herself closer, whispering again, "I love you..."

Kirux smiled, rolling over to face her, "I love you too..."

He kissed her forehead, wrapping his arms around her and closed his eyes.

* * *

 **Ya know what, it's still Valentine's Day where I live, so it counts!**

 **Hope you enjoyed (you better have), tell me what you think, and I'll see y'all soon.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	41. XLI - Together Again

**I just have the urge to keep writing and it's bad.**

 **Keep reading, please. I hope you all enjoy it.**

* * *

 _ **Play: The Afternoon Streets - KH3**_

* * *

Xion woke up slowly, feeling the side of the bed next to her and finding it empty.

"Ki?" She called out lightly, not getting a response.

 _"Please don't tell me it was all a dream..."_ She thought to herself.

She sat up, sitting on the edge of the bed. When she looked around, she noticed a note on the desk.

She picked it up, reading it over.

…

 _Head to the Alley when you wake up. I got a surprise for you :)_

 _Love, Kirux_

…

She exhaled heavily, _"Thank goodness. It wasn't a_ _dream."_

"Guess I'll head to the alley," she said, standing up and walking out of the room.

After a short, five minute walk, she found herself in the alley. Kirux wasn't around, however.

"Kirux?" She called out.

"In here, Xion." She heard him respond, in the Usual Spot.

She walked back there, finding him standing in the center of the room. He had two ice creams in his hands.

"Good morning. You hungry?"

"Isn't it a little early for ice cream?" She asked him, rubbing her eyes.

"It's never too early. Not for this."

She shrugged, taking one from him, "So, what's the surprise you had to wake up so early for?"

"You really haven't noticed?"

"I just woke up, Ki. Excuse me for not noticing little things."

"Sorry, it's just...you always liked it like this, so...I went back to it."

She knew what he was talking about now.

…

"You cut your hair..." she said lightly.

Kirux ran his hand through his now short hair, "Yeah. Things didn't go so well went it was longer, so...I went back to this. Just going back to what works."

Xion smiled, "I always liked it like that."

"I know. That's partly why I cut it. I knew you always liked it more this way..."

"I'm glad you thought of that."

"Well, you're welcome. It was annoying trying to do it by myself."

…

The two of them walked out of the Usual Spot, Kirux asking her, "So, what do you want to do?"

"Are we not gonna go back Master Yen Sid's?"

Kirux shook his head, "No, not yet. I just...wanted to spend some time with you before we go back. You know, because I've been gone for so long..."

"Are you sure..?"

"Yeah. Just...one day, alright? We'll go back tomorrow, I swear. Just...please?"

She thought to herself, _"He always tries to do things for me. He hasn't changed one bit."_

She gave in, smiling, "Okay, fine. We'll stay,"

Kirux pumped his lightly, "Yes."

"Just for today though, but then we're going back. Okay?"

He smiled, taking her hand, "One day is all I need."

"Well, lead the way then."

The two of them walked off, into Twilight Town.

…

…

…

They first arrived in the Sandlot.

"Ya know, apparently Seifer and the others disappeared right after we left." Xion said to him.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's kind of unfortunate." She took a bite of her ice cream.

"Yeah, it is." Kirux said, "Man, that's gonna hurt the Struggle tournament when it comes back."

She smiled, "You'll just lose to Hayner in the finals...again."

"Hey! He got lucky! I'll get him next time."

"Suuuure you will."

"Hey, you're still just mad because I beat you to get to him."

"And it didn't even matter in the end." She continued to tease him.

"Oh, it'll be different this time. I'll take him down, just you watch."

She laughed, "I'll believe it when I see it."

Kirux shook his head, "You're just jealous..."

"I have no reason to be jealous of you."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah really."

"Okay, Xion." He laughed, taking a bite of his own ice cream.

…

"Wow, this place changed a lot since I've last been here." Kirux said, as they entered Tram Common.

"It's not that much different." Xion said before taking another bite of ice cream.

"Well, it seems a lot different."

He looked over to his right, "Oh hey! That bistro finally opened."

"Yeah. It opened up the other day. Olette wanted me to tell you about it. Maybe you and I can check it out one day."

"Maybe. Seems like it's pretty expensive though..."

"Yeah, it is. A girl can dream though, am I right?"

"Hey, we'll see. Don't get any ideas."

She giggled.

"Aw man. I forgot they did that."

She looked up, and noticed what he was talking about.

"Oh yeah. We can't go this way to the woods now."

"Well, how do you get there now?"

Xion looked at him, "You're...not gonna like it."

…

…

…

"You were right," Kirux said, "I didn't like that. At all."

Xion put her hand down, helping him up from the sewer exit, "I said you weren't gonna like it. Did I not?"

"You did." He grabbed her hand, and she pulled him out.

"So, why are we out here?" She asked him.

"Like I said earlier, I want to see how everything has changed. And well, getting out of town and walking through the forest seemed like a good idea."

"Was it worth going through the sewers for?"

"We'll see about that..."

…

He slid his hands in his pockets and walked away from her.

"Kirux, is there...something you're not telling me?"

He turned back to her, "What do you mean?"

"You know, with the ice cream, and you cutting your hair, and the way you're acting. It's...not like you."

"Are you feeling okay? If you need anything, you can tell me you know."

Kirux's smile had faded at that point, and he looked down at the ground, "Can we...talk about this later?"

"Kirux..."

"Xion, please, let's just..." He stopped, shaking his head, "Never mind. You...deserve to know."

"Know...what?"

He walked back over to her, "I'd prefer if we talked somewhere else. Can we head to the clock tower?"

"Of course. If that's where you wanna go, then...we'll go there."

He walked off, without her.

 _"What's going on with him? He looks...upset."_

 _"Whatever's wrong with him, he'll tell me about it."_

She followed after him.

* * *

 _ **Stop: The Afternoon Streets - KH3**_

* * *

"Here you go," She said to him, handing him an ice cream bar.

He took it, muttering "Thanks," lightly but not saying anything else.

Xion sat down next to him, "So, what's on your mind?"

Kirux said nothing.

…

"Kirux?"

He snapped out of his trance, "Huh? What?"

"You...wanted to talk, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember. Sorry..."

"It's okay, just...tell me what's on your mind."

He was hesitant, "I...I don't know..."

"Why? It's fine, Kirux. I won't get mad, if that's what you're worried about."

"It isn't, but..."

* * *

 _ **Play: Riku's Theme - KH2**_

* * *

He shook his head, "Fine, here goes..."

He took a deep breath, then began.

"When I came back, and Axel and I got you out of the Keyblade Graveyard, I didn't feel...happy."

"Why?" She asked him.

"Let me finish. I wasn't happy, I wasn't sad, I wasn't...you get the idea. The first thing I remember feeling when I came back was...fear."

Xion wanted to ask him why again, but didn't and let him continue.

"I was afraid that after I left again, that...you had had enough with me. I had abandoned you time and time and time again, and...what happened at the Keyblade Graveyard would be the final straw for you."

"I had hoped that things wouldn't have had changed while I was gone, but deep down...I was terrified to think that, after my latest screw up, you...would've moved on and found someone else."

His grip on the ice cream tightened, "I left the tower after that, because I didn't want to risk losing my temper. If I had found out you moved on from me to someone like Riku or Axel, I...would've lost it. I knew I would have done something terrible, that would ruin my chances of even trying to get you back."

He shut his eyes, "I couldn't bear the thought of being alone. Naminé said that you and I keep each other whole, and the thought of losing that would've hurt even more."

…

She was about to speak, but he continued, "At times, Xion, I...feel like you _would_ be better off with someone else."

"Kirux, that's-,"

He put his hand up, "I'm not done. I keep thinking about, "What if she had chosen Roxas over me? Or Riku? Or Axel?" It scared me to think about that, and...it still does. I worry about times like, "What if she decides to leave one day, and never comes back?" and things like that. Most of the time, I don't feel like what I'm doing for you is good enough, and that someone else would do a better job."

"I just got you back, and the thought of losing you again hurts. So...that's why I didn't want to go back to Yen Sid's. Going there months ago ruined _everything_. You and I had a life here, a life that you wanted, and I took that away. I took that away, almost got your heart stolen by the Organization, and almost got Sora taken away as well."

"It's supposed to be my job to protect you, but...I keep failing. I failed while we were in the Organization, I failed in the Sleeping Worlds, and I failed these last three weeks when I was gone..."

His grip had weakened, and the ice cream fell out of his hands and down to the streets below, "I guess what I'm trying to say...is that I'm scared, Xion. No, not scared, _terrified_ that this might be my last chance. The last opportunity I have to make things right for us, and if I screw up one more time, you'll go away again...and this time, you _won't_ come back."

He was trying as hard as he could not to cry, but he wasn't doing a very good job.

Xion said nothing.

…

 _"I...didn't even know he was holding all of that in. He hid it so well, I didn't notice."_

 _"Gosh, how did I let this happen? Aren't best friends supposed to be there for one another?"_

 _"He's always been the one that I went to for comfort, but him...he had nothing."_

 _"This has to change. N_ _ow."_

She felt awful now, upset that she had allowed Kirux to bottle up all of this pain and never let it out.

"Kirux...I'm sorry." Was the first thing she said to him.

He wiped his eyes, speaking softly, "Why?"

"Because I was never there for you. You've always been the one that protected me, and the one I've gone to when I've needed you the most. But...I never did the same for you. I let you bottle up all this pain and hurt and never even bothered to ask if you needed help. For that, I'm sorry Kirux. I'm so incredibly sorry."

She continued, "But that's gonna change."

He looked up at her, "What?"

Xion moved closer to him, "You've always been there for me, Kirux. You've been by my side when I needed you the most almost always. But, I've _never_ been there for you, and...I want that to change."

She put her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He was crying into her shoulder, letting all of the pain he had held in flow out.

"I just...wanted to keep you safe..." He said, his voice muffled by her shoulder.

"You don't have to anymore..." She whispered to him.

Kirux pulled back to look at her, and she pressed her forehead against his, "From now on, let _me_ keep _you_ safe..."

"You're not...gonna leave me alone either...right..?" He asked her.

"Kirux, of course I'm not. It's you and me, and _nothing_ is going to change that."

She kissed his cheek, saying, "That's _never_ going to change..."

Kirux said nothing, but he did hug her as tightly as he could, "Thank you..."

Xion didn't respond. She didn't need to.

Everything had already been said...

* * *

 _ **Stop: Riku's Theme - KH2**_

* * *

"So...what do we do now?" Xion asked him as they descended the stairway, hand in hand.

Kirux thought it over, "I'm not sure. What time of day is it?"

"It's probably late afternoon. Do you...want to stay for a while longer?"

Kirux thought about it, but shook his head, "Nah. I think...it's time we go back."

"To Master Yen Sid's?"

"Yeah. It was good to be back home, for at least a little while, but...Sora and the others need us."

He looked at her, smiling, "You wanna go help save the world?"

She smiled, "Yeah. Let's go."

* * *

 **I feel like people are less inclined to R &R because I put the spoilers for KH3 in the chapters before. Oh well. Those really don't matter to me.**

 **Either way, I hope y'all enjoyed. I'll see you again really soon.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	42. XLII - The Final Journey

**I took a tiny bit of a break to start this one. Either way, we're back for another round of "my weird Kingdom Hearts head canon." That's what this site is for, is it not?**

 **Hahaha. Anyways, enough of my stupidity. I hope you all enjoy.**

* * *

 _ **Play: Magical Mystery - KH2**_

* * *

"Where did everyone go?" Kirux asked as they were ascending the tower.

"Master Yen Sid probably sent them to keep training."

"Oh right. Riku is training Axel and Kairi, right?"

"Yeah, with Merlin's help I'm pretty sure."

"Has Sora been back recently?"

She shook her head, "No, not recently. He did come by to pick something up from Master Yen Sid, but he left almost immediately."

"Well, at least he came by."

"Yeah. Did you...talk with anybody, before you left here?"

Kirux shrugged, "Not really. We were all concerned about your safety, and...after what I told you at the clock tower, I didn't have much time for small talk."

"Oh right...I'm sorry you were all so worried. That...thing got the jump on me."

"Hey, it's no problem. You're fine now, and that's what matters."

…

They reached Master Yen Sid's chamber, Xion entering the room first.

"Hello Master," she said to Yen Sid, "We're back."

Yen Sid was standing by the window, looking out into the starry sky. He turned around, noticing Xion and Kirux standing by the door.

"Hello Xion. I am glad you have returned."

He then turned his attention to Kirux, "And it is good to have you back, Kirux."

"It's good to be back, Master. Sorry about me leaving all of the sudden, but...I'm thankful Xion and Lea were there to help me get back."

"Of course."

…

"So, Master...now that everyone else is out, is there...anything for us to do?"

"Yeah. Do you want us to go help Sora, or maybe Aqua and her friends?"

"No, there's no need. Everyone has there tasks, and they can carry them out on their own."

"Well, what's there for us to do?" Xion asked Yen Sid.

…

Yen Sid started, "I have begun to sense something in the balance. Darkness is spreading throughout the worlds."

"Are the Heartless attacking more worlds?" Kirux asked.

"No, Kirux. This is not the Heartless. The darkness is coming from within the worlds. Beings with dark hearts in these worlds are causing the balance to tip, and I am afraid that Xehanort is going to try and use those dark hearts against us."

"So you just want us to go and stop the darkness from spreading?" Xion said, "Seems easy enough."

"Yeah, nothing we can't handle."

Yen Sid spoke again, "While yes, you two would be able to stop this darkness from spreading, that is not what I want you two to do."

"Huh?" They both said at the same time.

…

Yen Sid turned back to them, "As I said before, I fear that Xehanort is going to try and use the dark hearts from these worlds against us. Whether he tries to break the world order like Maleficent did in the past, or if he tries to manipulate that darkness for his own gains."

"Whatever he may plan to do, we cannot allow his plan to go through to fruition."

"Kirux and Xion, I am tasking you with this. Xehanort must be stopped, no matter what his plans may be. If this means that we'd have to fight his hearts of darkness by gathering their light counterparts, then...we simply must do what is necessary."

Xion and Kirux took a few seconds to think about it.

Kirux spoke up, "Wait, Master. You... _want_ us to break the world order?"

"Only in the most dire circumstances. Xehanort plans for everything, so we're going to have to plan for everything too."

"But...wouldn't it be wrong to bring someone into a war they have no stakes in? That just doesn't seem right."

Master Yen Sid went back to sit in his chair, "While yes, bringing someone into the upcoming Keyblade War is not something any of us want to do, especially if they're not Keyblade wielders. But it should only be something if say one of our Guardians of Light were to suddenly fall to darkness."

Xion stepped forward, "So, if we lose one of the guardians...we'd fill them in with someone who's not even a Keyblade wielder?"

…

Yen Sid nodded.

"Master, I don't think that's a good idea. Even if it's a last resort, whoever that may be shouldn't have to fight a war that they have no part in."

"I agree," Kirux said, "There aren't any other options? I mean, we have PLENTY of Keyblade wielders. There's us two, Sora, Riku, King Mickey, Aqua, Ventus, Terra, and eventually Lea and Kairi. That's TEN Keyblade wielders. Even if we lost three for some reason, we'd still have all seven Guardians."

"I get that you two are skeptical of this, and I do not want to go through this as much as you don't. It is simply a last resort, and with Xehanort back and the second Keyblade War growing even more closer, we need to keep _every_ option on the table."

"And if we lose some of our Guardians, we would have you two in relief."

"Wait, so...we're _not_ two of the Seven Guardians?" Kirux asked.

Yen Sid shook his head, "No. I have plans for you two."

Kirux didn't say anything, so Xion spoke up, "So...what are we?"

"You two may not be Guardians of Light, but you still both have a stake in this war. I know your strifes with Xehanort over what has happened to you in the past. I do not plan on having you both out of this conflict, but the Seven Guardians I fear cannot stand alone. And that's why I want you, our "Warriors" of Light, to stand at the Guardian's side and fight alongside them in the Keyblade War."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Magical Mystery - KH2**_

* * *

"I...actually like the sound of that." Kirux said, smiling.

"Yeah, sounds cool," Xion said too.

"Y'know...they DID call me "The Soldier of Darkness" in the past. The name fits."

"It does, apart from the "Darkness" part."

"Hey, it's still in there." He said, putting a hand on his chest.

Xion smiled, "Then Xehanort should want you on your side."

"Oh really? You don't want to fight with me?"

She didn't answer, a smug grin on her face.

"Oh, you _really_ don't want to fight with me?"

…

He wrapped his arm around Xion, pulling him into his side, "Well too bad. You're stuck with me."

"Well, I guess we're doomed to fail..."

"What did you say?"

She laughed.

…

Master Yen Sid cleared his throat, "I hope you two are finished."

Kirux let go of Xion, running his hand through his short hair, "Yeah, sorry."

"Anyways, I have something for you, Kirux. I was asked to deliver it to you."

He waved his hand, and a device appeared in the air. Kirux reached out, and grabbed it out of the air.

"Oh hey!" Xion said, "It's another one of the phones Ienzo made!"

"Two things. One: How does it work? And two: Who's Ienzo?" Kirux asked her.

"I'll show you how to use it before we leave. Now, are you gonna thank the master or not?"

"Oh, right. Thank you, Master." Kirux said, pocketing the phone.

Yen Sid nodded, "Now, you two know what you need to do. The darkness is spreading, and while Sora and the others prepare for the final battle, you two must go and keep the darkness in check."

"Yes Master." They both said, bowing to Yen Sid. They then both turned and left, exiting the chamber.

…

…

…

"Wait, so...we can talk with the others through worlds?" Kirux said as they walked out of the tower and onto the grass. He had the phone in his hands.

"Yeah. It works really well. I used it to talk with Ienzo while you were gone."

Right after she said that, her own phone started ringing, "That must be him."

She pulled it out, and saw Ienzo's face appear on the screen, "Hello Xion. How are things going?"

"Really good, Ienzo. Sorry I haven't kept in touch. Ever since the mansion, things have been...crazy."

"Well, how has the search been going?"

Kirux walked up next to her, "What search? Are you looking for something?"

He looked down at the screen, "Oh. You must be Ienzo."

"And I assume you are Kirux."

"Yeah. I'm Kirux. Nice to meet you." Kirux said with a smile.

"Likewise. I'm glad to see you two back together, after what happened."

Xion spoke up, "Thanks Ienzo. You were a big help in getting Kirux back, and these phones are awesome!"

Ienzo smiled, "Thank you, Xion. Did Kirux get his yet?"

Kirux nodded, "Yeah, it's right here." He pulled it out, showing it to Ienzo.

"Good to hear. Everyone else already has their own, so if you need to contact them, feel free. Also, give me a call if you have any questions on how to use it."

"Don't worry. I've figured it out already." Xion said, "But Kirux is a bit slow..."

Kirux shoved her lightly, "Hey!"

Her and Ienzo laughed.

"Anyways, I'll let you two get back to it. Master Yen Sid told me what you two are doing, and I'll be here if you need any help."

"Perfect! Thanks Ienzo!"

He nodded, hanging up.

…

"Hey, I just noticed something." Kirux said.

"What's that?"

"This thing has a camera."

She looked at him, "Well, of course. How did you think he could see us?"

"Hey, I'm new to this stuff!"

She laughed again, "Okay, chill. Let me see something..."

She tapped on the camera icon, and their faces popped up on the screen again.

"That's so cool." She said.

"Take a picture of something."

"Okay then," she said, "Then smile!"

She wrapped her around his shoulder, pulling him closer. She held the phone up higher, making sure their faces were in frame.

"You're not smiling!" She said, causing him to roll his eyes and smile at the camera.

She pressed the circle on the left side, and the screen flashed.

…

She pulled the phone back down, looking at the photo she had taken.

She was staring at it, and Kirux was concerned, "You okay?"

Xion sighed, "Sorry. It's just...look at us. We look happy..."

She put the phone away, "Do you think we'll still be like that, once this is over?"

"Of course we will, Xion. Remember what you said, back at the clock tower."

He turned her so she could look at him, "It's you and me, no matter what happens. _Nothing_ is going to change that."

…

Xion said nothing, just leaning up and kissing him once lightly.

Once wasn't enough for her though, and she pulled him back in, kissing him again. She felt one of Kirux's arms around her waist and his hand running through her hair.

She pulled Kirux closer, just wanting to keep him close, continuing to kiss him.

Xion eventually ran out of air, as did Kirux, and they both pulled back. Xion pressed her forehead against his.

"You hope you're right about that..."

Kirux smiled, "I know I'm right..."

…

After they had broken apart, Kirux pulled his Keyblade out. He pointed it towards the sky above, and a beam of light shattered the sky, a Keyhole appearing.

As the light grew brighter, Kirux felt Xion's hand finding its way into his own.

He looked over at her, and smiled, "We're in this together."

She smiled back, "To the end?"

"To the end..."

* * *

 **There you go. The final journey has begun...**

 **Let me know what you thought of this. Now I gotta get to bed before I die of sleep deprivation.**

 **See y'all next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	43. XLIII - New Responsibilities

**Hey all.**

 **Sorry this took a while. It's the final month of the semester, and classes are kicking in with all of the work and stuff. That started right around the time I started working on "The Soldier of Darkness: Remastered," which right after went straight into the worst week of my life which had a bunch of personal problems come up that I don't want to talk about.**

 **So yeah, just another day in the office, I guess. Here's a new chapter.** **I hope you all enjoy.**

 _(PS: I'm declaring "Every Time You Leave" by I Prevail as the theme for Kirux and Xion and you can't stop me. Okay now read.)_

* * *

 _For the next few chapters, I'm gonna implement those Instagram-esc posts you see in the loading screens for KH3. I hope you guys like these, and let me know if you wanna see more of them._

…

Picture: The selfie Xion and Kirux took, in front of Master Yen Sid's tower.

Caption:

 _Xion - Watch out, worlds! Kirux and I are back and better than ever! Nothing's gonna keep us apart now! #newjourney #warriorsoflight #kiruxandxion_

Comments:

 _Sora - Have fun you guys! Take lots of pictures for us!_

 _Lea - Good to see you two back together. Don't get one another distracted ;)_

* * *

 _ **Play: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D: Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"So...why are we here?" Kirux asked Xion as they walked through the Fountain Plaza.

She looked back at him, "There's something really important here. I found that out when I was looking for you."

"Okay, but what is that?"

"You'll find out. We just need to find them."

"Who's "them"?"

Xion stopped, turning around to him, "You remember Joshua and the others, right?"

"Yeah. What about them?"

"Well apparently, they're trapped in this world. After we left, their missions they were getting stopped coming in, and now they can't leave."

She continued, "And the Heartless are here too, so if that's not reason enough to be here, then I don't know what is."

…

Kirux crossed his arms, "They're trapped?"

"Yep. Joshua doesn't know what's causing it, and if Joshua doesn't know what's going on...then we've got a big problem on our hands."

"Well, thankfully we're here now. Only question is where they are."

"Yeah," Xion said, looking around, "They weren't in any of the districts before here. I wonder if they're further in town."

"Let's check it out then." Kirux said, as they walked off together.

…

"Hey Kirux?"

"Yeah Xion?"

"I've been thinking about what Master Yen Sid said, about wanting us to break the world order."

Kirux looked over at her, "What about it?"

"I don't know, I guess I'm just...concerned. That didn't sound like something Master Yen Sid would say, y'know?"

Kirux thought for a second, "Yeah, you're right. But I guess that's just the stress of having to do as much as he has. I mean, he's having to handle Sora and whatever he's doing, Riku and the King training Kairi and Lea, Aqua and all her friends, and now us. He's got a lot on his plate."

"I guess you're right. But what do you think?"

"Think about what?"

"The possibility that we might need to bring someone into this fight, even though it doesn't involve them. I mean, aren't we supposed to _defend_ the worlds, and not recruit their people to fight?"

Kirux slid his hands into his pockets, "I don't like it either, Xion. But it's like the Master said. It's only a last resort, if we do end up losing some of our guardians. So don't worry. We won't do anything in that nature, unless we absolutely need to."

"Okay."

…

When they entered the Fifth District, they heard some commotion coming from inside the gardens.

"Do you think it's them?" Kirux asked Xion.

"Let's go find out."

…

They walked over, Xion opening the door. They unfortunately found no Neku or any humans, but...there was a Shadow heartless there.

When they entered, it ran and hid behind a potted plant. It peaked its head out, looking at the two of them.

Kirux sighed, "It's just a Heartless. Just leave it, doesn't look its gonna harm anyone."

He turned to leave, but Xion didn't.

"Hold on a sec," she said, stopping him.

Xion walked closer, the Heartless retreating behind the potted plant again. She crouched down, speaking softly, "It's okay. We're not gonna hurt you."

The Heartless looked back out at her, curiously.

"What's up with it?" Kirux asked, walking up behind her.

"I don't know. I think its...scared."

She put her hand out, the Heartless retreating a little bit.

Xion spoke softly, "Hey, it's okay. Nobody's gonna hurt you."

…

After a bit of hesitation, the Heartless came back towards her. It touched her hand, still curious.

Xion smiled, starting to stroke its head lightly, "Y'know, he's kind of cute."

"Well, he seems to like you."

"Do you think it was an animal or something, before it turned into...you know, this?"

"I dunno. Maybe."

"So, what are we gonna do with him? We can't just leave it here alone."

Xion stopped stroking the Heartless's head, "Yeah, but once we find Neku and the others, they'd be pretty freaked out that we're carrying a Heartless around with us."

"We can just explain it to them. I'm sure they'd understand, with a little convincing."

"I...guess we could do that."

She looked down at the Heartless, "Do you wanna come with us?"

The Heartless jumped up, and ran to Xion, climbing up her leg and perching itself on her shoulder.

Kirux smiled, "He _really_ likes you."

Xion laughed, "He's cute. Looks like you've got competition..."

"Okay. Too far."

She laughed, "Come on. Let's go find Neku and everyone else."

The two of them, and the Heartless, exited the gardens.

* * *

 ** _Stop: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D: Dream Drop Distance_**

* * *

Kirux and Xion had made their back to the Fountain Plaza.

Kirux huffed angrily, "We've been all over town. Where are they?"

They stopped in the center, Kirux leaning against the wall of the fountain.

"I don't know, Ki. Maybe...they found their way back. That's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

…

The Heartless looked behind Xion, and saw something. It freaked out, jumping down and hiding behind Kirux.

Both of them were confused, "What's wrong little guy?" Kirux asked, looking back up behind Xion.

* * *

 _ **Play: Hand in Hand - KH3**_

* * *

When he looked behind Xion, there was a massive Heartless. It looked as if it was made of rock, but had arms, legs, and a face right in the center of its torso. It had rock armor on, with a massive sword like object in its right hand.

It brought its weapon up, and Kirux reacted quickly.

"Look out!" Kirux yelled, shoving Xion to the side and grabbing the Heartless and diving away.

The Heartless that attacked them slammed its weapon into the fountain, breaking the wall where Kirux once stood. Water poured out, it flooding out and into the massive manhole.

Xion and Kirux both got up, "Where did this guy come from?!" Xion yelled, pulling her Keyblade out.

"I don't know!"

"Just get the little one somewhere safe!"

Kirux ran off, hiding the Heartless up where the large Heartless couldn't get him.

"Stay here. We'll be right back."

Kirux ran back to Xion, pulling his own Keyblade out.

…

The Heartless "roared" at the two of them, slamming down between the two of them. Another hole in the wall of the fountain.

Xion ran up to it, attacking the Heartless. She slammed her Keyblade into its face, which...did nothing.

She kept hitting it in the face, but the Heartless just took it like it was nothing. It grabbed Xion with its left hand, and threw her to the wall.

Kirux shot an orb towards Xion, it enveloping her and bouncing against the wall. She got back up immediately after.

The Heartless went to attack Kirux, but he swatted the weapon away and fired a blast of dark fire into the Heartless's face. Xion then ran up, slamming her Keyblade into its face. The Heartless flew back, slamming into the wall and leaving a massive dent.

...

The Heartless stood back up, and brought its weapon up to its face. It stuck, and the Heartless glew in a strange aura.

Kirux spoke lightly, "I don't like the looks of this..."

The Heartless then started (yes, literally) shooting rocks out of its face towards the two of them. They scattered, trying to avoid the rocks.

Kirux wasn't very lucky, and tripped over. One of the rocks that the Heartless fired landed on his leg, pinning him to the ground.

He (for obvious reasons) screamed out in pain. The Heartless removed the weapon from its face, and moved towards Kirux.

The smaller Heartless saw Kirux, and ran over from its cover to him. It stopped in front of him, waving its arms above its head.

The massive Heartless stopped, and for some reason...didn't attack. This allowed Xion to slide around it, and slice her blade through the massive Heartless.

It fell back, and faded away.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Hand in Hand - KH3**_

* * *

Xion ran back to Kirux and the little Heartless.

"Are you okay?"

"No, just...get this damn rock off of me!"

The small Heartless tried to push the rock off, but was obviously not doing anything. Xion got her Keyblade back out, and tried to lift the rock with it, but it didn't budge.

She got angry, and struck the rock with her blade. It collided off the rock with no results.

"I don't know what to do, Ki. I can't get it off."

"Don't worry. I can get you out."

...

They turned to the voice, seeing Joshua walk up to them.

"Joshua!" Xion said, "Where have you been?!"

"Finding a place for the others to rest. Y'know, while you've been gone the Heartless have been-,"

"Can we save it for later and get this rock off of me?!" Kirux yelled.

"Relax. I'll handle it."

He snapped his fingers, and the rock disappeared. Kirux didn't bother trying to stand, as he already knew his leg was broken.

"Lemme take care of that too." He snapped again, and Kirux's leg glew with a green aura. He then stood up, his leg now being fine.

Kirux sighed, "You're a weird guy, Joshua."

"That's a weird way of saying thank you."

...

Xion spoke, "Where are the others, Joshua?"

"They're all resting at the hotel in the Second District. Thanks to the town being empty, all the rooms are vacant. And I don't have to pay a thing."

"Yeah, great. But what's going on here?" Kirux asked him.

Joshua looked down, "I still don't know. I assume Xion filled you in what I told her before you were back, but the situation hasn't changed one bit."

He continued, "I had hoped you two would be able to help us figure it out."

"Well, that's why we're here." Xion said, "Although, we haven't found anything in the time we've been here."

"Yeah, except for this little guy." Kirux said, picking the Heartless up and putting him on his shoulder.

"Isn't that..?"

"Yeah, but...this one's different. He's friendly." Xion said, smiling.

"It even protected me from that big one." Kirux responded, rubbing the Heartless's head.

"Well, good. That's one less we have to deal with."

...

...

...

Eventually, the three of them left the Fountain Plaza.

"So, what now?" Kirux asked Joshua.

"Well, the others are resting. They've been worn out from all this fighting, and I guess that after that fight, you two must be pretty tired too."

"Yeah," Kirux said, "I forgot how tiring fighting Heartless was."

"I could use a break too. That thing messed me up."

"Let's head to the hotel then."

...

Joshua led the way back, pushing the door open for Kirux and Xion.

"There's a vacant room at the end of the hall. If you need me, I'll be around. Just come find me."

"Thanks Joshua." Xion said, her and Kirux walking down the hall. They entered the last door, going into the hotel room.

...

Kirux sighed, placing the Heartless down on the table in the room, "Man, I'm drained."

He flopped down onto the bed, "Fighting the Heartless is a lot tougher than I remember."

"Maybe you're still a little out of it. After I came back, I remember being a little weaker than normal for a little bit."

"Right...that's not a time I like to think about."

"Why?" Xion said, climbing into the bed next to him.

"I don't know. Just something I don't like thinking about, because of...you know."

Xion sighed, "I get it, Ki. Trust me, I was the same way when you were gone."

She grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly, "But that doesn't matter anymore. What matters is that we're both here, and that's not going to change."

Kirux rolled onto his shoulder to look at her.

He smiled, stroking her cheek lightly, "What would I do without you, Shi?"

She smiled back at him, "You would be nothing without me..."

"Oh, like you would be any better."

She giggled.

...

The Heartless had hopped off the table, and climbed onto the bed. It laid down at their feet, curling up and trying to sleep.

"What are we gonna do with him?" She asked.

"I'm not sure. Maybe we can have him stay at Master Yen Sid's, while we go to the other worlds and do what we're supposed to."

"Maybe. Let's just figure it out after we help Joshua and the others."

"Okay. Now let's get some sleep. I'm tired."

Xion smiled, "Yeah. Good night, Ki."

"Good night, Shi."

They both fell asleep shortly there after.

* * *

 **I apologize for taking a long time.**

 **Let me know what y'all thought about this one in a review.**

 **See you all next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	44. XLIV - Investigating Traverse Town

**This was supposed the be the final chapter before I left college and came back home for summer. And oh man, the last month and a half...**

 **I know that my update schedule over that time was kind of nonexistent, and I'm sorry. I never fully adjusted to life at college until maybe February, and then so much stuff happened that negatively affected me personally.**

 **I'm glad that some of y'all stuck with me through all of that. I know that some have probably moved on and found other stories to read, but to those of you who stayed through everything and put up with all of my crap…thank you. It truly means a lot that you guys stayed and continued to support my work. It means a lot knowing that there are people out there, and though I may never meet you guys in real life, that support what I do and the stories that I put out.**

 **Anyways, that's enough talk from me. Let's keep going. This journey's only just begun.**

* * *

 _Picture: Kirux and Xion at the indoor Gardens, with the Heartless in Xion's arms._

Caption:

 _Kirux - I didn't expect to make friends with a Heartless. I wonder if there are others like this one.. (P.S. Xion wants names suggestions) #traversetown #heartless #newfriend #whatisgoingon_

Comments:

 _Riku - A Heartless turned friendly? That's really odd. Try to be careful around it, just in case._

 _Kirux - ***** **Riku** So far we haven't had any problems. It actually protected me from an attack._

 _Kairi - Aww, that's really cute. He's like a pet!_

 _Xion - I know right?! We're thinking about naming him. If anyone has suggestions, let me know!_

* * *

 _ **Play: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D: Dream Drop Distance**_

 **A/N: I replaced the version in the previous chapter to this version. I like it way more.**

* * *

Kirux's eyes slowly opened up, sitting up.

He looked down at Xion, who was still sound asleep. She had a small smile on her face.

When Kirux looked at the end of the bed, he noticed the Heartless was gone.

 _"Odd...where did he_ _go?"_

He looked back at Xion, and then smiled. The Heartless had moved while they were sleeping, and was now curled up by Xion's chest.

He loved it even more, because Xion had her arms around the Heartless, like a child holding a teddy bear.

Kirux had to hold himself from laughing, as he pulled out his phone and took a picture of the two of them. Immediately after, Xion started to wake up.

When she saw him and the phone in his hand, she immediately said, "Delete it."

"Oh, absolutely not. This is perfect."

"Do it or I'll do it myself."

"I'd love to see you try."

…

Xion glared at him, getting out of bed and walking towards him. Kirux was trying to post the image, for all of their friends to see.

"Give it." She said, putting her hand out in front of her.

"Nope."

"Give it. Now."

"Nuh-uh."

"I'm giving you one chance to hand it over."

"I'll take my chances."

Xion huffed, "Alright, that's it." And she went for his phone. Kirux pulled it away, holding it above his head.

"You're gonna have to try harder than that."

Xion tried reaching up to grab the phone, but Kirux held it up too high.

"Just give it to me." She said while trying to grab the phone. Kirux just laughed at her.

…

Xion was reaching up, still trying to grab his phone. Unfortunately, she fell, knocking herself and Kirux over. The sound caused the Heartless (who had still been sleeping on the bed) to shoot up awake, hiding under the pillows on the bed.

"Ow!" Kirux said, "Jeez, fine. Here."

He gave her his phone, but when she saw what was on screen, she saw that he had already posted the photo. He grinned deviously at her.

She frowned, "I hate you..."

"No you don't."

"Yes I do."

"No you don't."

Xion got up off of him, not offering him a hand up, which Kirux commented with a "Rude." remark.

He got up, "Ya gonna give me my phone back?"

"No. You've lost your phone privileges."

"Hey, come on! It was a joke!"

"I don't care."

She pocketed his phone, Kirux just laughing at her, "You're taking this way too seriously."

"Whatever." She walked over to the bed, pulling the pillows away and finding the Heartless cowering.

…

She reached down to him, picking him up, "It's okay, buddy. Kirux was just being a jerk. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Okay, really? You're gonna bring him into this?"

"Yes, and there's nothing you can do to stop me." She looked at the Heartless, "Don't listen to him. He's a meanie."

The Heartless just looked at her, tilting its head in confusion. Xion just smiled, rubbing its head.

…

After that, there was a knock on the door of the room.

"Everything okay in there?" Joshua's voice came through the door.

"We're fine. We'll be right out."

Kirux turned back to Xion, "Are you gonna be mad at me all day?"

She shrugged, "Depends on how you behave the rest of the day."

He sighed, "Yes _Mom_." He gave her a smug grin, which she just rolled her eyes at. The Heartless moved up to her shoulder, and the two of them left the hotel room.

…

…

…

They found Joshua standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall.

"So, you guys ready to help us investigate?" Joshua asked, walking towards them.

"Yep. That's what we're here for."

"Good. Everyone is outside. Let's go outside and think of a plan."

The three of them left the hotel, finding Neku, Shiki, Beat, and Rhyme standing in a circle in the Second District.

"Everyone. Our help has finally arrived."

"Hey guys!" Xion said to the group, smiling, "I brought Kirux with me this time."

Shiki was the first one to come towards them, "Hey Xion! We're all glad you're back, Kirux. We missed you last time Xion was in town!"

Kirux rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, sorry. I would've been here, but...you probably know what happened."

"Well, we're glad you're back," she said, and then noticed the Heartless hiding behind Xion, "What's that?"

Xion looked back, "Oh, this is our new friend. Don't be scared. He's good."

Xion picked him up, the Heartless keeping its head down, not looking up.

"It's okay. These are our friends."

The Heartless looked up, and Shiki started petting its head.

"Aww. He's cute."

Rhyme had come up, and she also started petting the Heartless.

…

Joshua interrupted their interaction by clearing his throat, "If you guys are done, we've got work to do."

"He's right," Neku said, "We've gotta find a way to get home. Xion, have you two found anything since you came here?"

Xion put the Heartless back on her shoulder, "Unfortunately Neku, no. Kirux and I searched the whole town, and there was nothing for us to go off of."

"Yeah. All we found was this guy." He said, pointing to the Heartless.

Neku slid his hands into his pockets, "Great..."

"There's gotta be something!" Beat shouted, "We can't just be stuck here like this!"

Xion turned to Kirux, "When we came in, did we open the corridor _before_ entering the town or outside?"

"We were outside of the First District when we came in."

"Shoot...well, we could try?"

Kirux pulled his Keyblade out, "It's worth a shot."

…

He pointed his Keyblade out, trying to summon a corridor of light.

He stood there for about thirty seconds, only for nothing to happen.

Kirux looked at his Keyblade, "That's odd. I guess we can't summon corridors while in the town."

"Guess it's not gonna be that easy..." Xion said.

"It never is."

Kirux's Keyblade faded away, "So...what now?"

…

Joshua spoke up, "Do you think the guys in black coats have anything to do with it?"

"It's certainly possible. But have you guys even seen them?"

"No, we haven't. Not since you were here last time, Xion."

"Wait, Organization XIII was here?"

"It's complicated. I'll explain it to you later."

…

"Maybe...we can check hot spots. Y'know, for Heartless."

Kirux turned to Joshua, "Joshua, where have the Heartless been appearing the most?"

"Easy. The Fountain Plaza. It's why we try to avoid that place as much as possible now."

"Well, that's where we're going. Come on, Shi."

Kirux and Xion were turning to leave.

"Wait! What about us?" Shiki called out to them.

Xion turned back, "Don't worry, guys. Let Kirux and I handle this. You've all done enough."

"No." Neku said now, "We can help. And besides, it's not your job to get us back home."

Xion turned to Kirux, who just shrugged.

"Alright. Shiki and Neku, come with us. Beat and Rhyme, you two should stick with Joshua. Head to second most-populated area in town and see if anything happens. We can cover more ground if we split up."

"That works. Stay careful, all of you."

Neku and Shiki left with Kirux and Xion, the other three staying behind.

…

…

…

"So...how have you been?" Xion asked Neku, as they walked through the Back Streets.

"Well, I'm trapped in an unfamiliar world, with strange creatures that appear out of nowhere attacking us constantly, and one of my old friends and her boyfriend who can wield giant keys just showed up to bail us out. So, I'm doing great. What about you?"

She smiled, "You remind me so much of Kirux..."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Good, for the most part. You and him are just really alike."

"In what ways?"

"Well, overly-moody. Sarcastic. Introverted. You guys are more alike than you think."

Neku just shrugged, "That's cool, I guess."

"Come on, Neku. Kirux is a nice guy. Just give him a chance. You two would get along really well."

…

A few feet behind them, Kirux and Shiki were following closely behind.

"What do you think they're talking about?"

"She's probably trying to get him and I to be friends."

"Oh, really?" She thought for a second, "Ohhh, I forgot. You and Neku haven't met before."

"Nope. We haven't. And knowing Xion, she probably wants us to become friends."

"Well, Neku isn't a bad guy. I mean, he can be kind of moody and stuff, but he's a nice guy."

Kirux smiled, "I'm sure he isn't. But if Xion makes a friend, she immediately wants them to be friends with me too."

"So...she's done this before?"

"Yeah, with some people back home. She pretty much forced me to become friends with them, but I didn't mind."

"Ah, well that's nice. I'm sure she can make Neku come around. He's a nice guy, once you get to know him."

Kirux laughed, "I'll bet she can, eventually."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D: Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

The four of them reached the Fountain Plaza, the damage from Xion and Kirux's fight with the Heartless still all over the place

"Oh yeah..." Kirux said, "Guess we forgot to clean up yesterday."

"Jeez. You guys made a mess."

"Yeah well, the Heartless were giving us a hard time. Collateral damage happens."

…

"So...now what?" Neku asked Xion.

"I don't know. Kirux, this was _your_ idea. What are we doing here?"

"Okay, so Heartless have got to be coming from someone. I mean, there's no other people in town aside from you guys, Xion, and myself."

"So?"

"So...I'm saying if we thin out a bit of their ranks, maybe whoever is sending them might come by. Then, we'll see what they want, they'll spout some nonsense, and we'll end up winning in the end. You guys go home, Xion and I move on to the next world. Everything works out in the end."

After he finished, they were silent.

Xion finally spoke up after almost a minute, "That is...the STUPIDEST plan I've ever heard."

"Oh, and you can come up with something better?!"

"ANYBODY could've thought of something better than that!"

"Whatever! Talk to me when YOU come up with a plan!"

"I can come up with a plan!"

"Well then, I'm all ears Xion!"

…

As the two bickered back and forth, Neku and Shiki just watched awkwardly.

"Does...this happen normally?" Neku whispered to her.

"I have no idea. Sounds like _both_ of them woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning..."

…

Neku stepped forward, "Guys! Enough!"

Xion and Kirux immediately stopped, looking over at them.

"Look, Kirux's plan may not be the greatest. But it's ALL we have. Now, stop the arguing."

The two of them were clearly embarrassed, Kirux rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry...that uhh...that was silly of us to argue like that..."

"Yeah..."

* * *

 _ **Play: Hand in Hand - KH3**_

* * *

Heartless then appeared around them all, encircling them. Shadows, Neoshadows, and Air Soldiers.

They stood back to back, Kirux and Xion pulling out their Keyblades.

"Everyone, stay together!" Kirux shouted out, then turned to Xion, "Make sure he's safe."

He was referring to their Heartless, and she nodded.

"Hold on, buddy." She whispered, "Things are gonna get bumpy..."

…

The Heartless were slowly advancing on them, some of them charging right at the group. Kirux and Xion would just swat away any Heartless that got close, Shiki using her cat doll to knock any back, while Neku would just kick them away.

"There's way too many! We can't fight all of these!" Neku shouted out.

"He's right. There's way too many."

Kirux just turned back towards them, "I've got an idea." He then looked towards Xion, "You wanna try that tornado we talked about once?"

Xion smiled at him, "Are you kidding? Absolutely."

"What are you guys talking about?"

Kirux grinned, "You'll see."

…

Xion summoned a massive tornado, sweeping up Heartless around the area. After going around the area twice, Xion said to Kirux, "Do it!"

Kirux then shot a trail of fire into the tornado, the tornado now engulfed in flames. Any Heartless scooped up within the tornado then caught on fire.

You could see many of the Heartless disperse, the hearts held by the Air Soldiers flying into the air.

However, not all of the Heartless were gone. Lots of Shadows and Neoshadows still remained.

"If that was supposed to get rid of them all, then it didn't work."

"Nah, you see? Now it's a fair fight! Come on, let's get 'em!"

Kirux was about to charge forward, but Xion stopped him, "No, they're right. It didn't work."

"Wha-"

"Look at 'em, Ki. Does it look like we thinned through their ranks at all?"

Kirux looked again, and she was right.

"Well then, what do we do?"

"I don't know..."

…

"We've gotta do something! They're gonna close in on us!"

Kirux struck another Heartless down, "I know!"

Xion whispered to Kirux, "I could try clearing a path..."

"What? Alone? Xion, that's crazy."

"It's better than nothing..."

"Xion, _no_. I'm not letting you do that."

"Well..." She pulled the Heartless off of her back and handed it to Kirux, "You better move fast."

Kirux was confused, but before he could do anything, Xion was running towards the Heartless.

"Xion, no!"

…

Shiki and Neku saw what Xion was doing, and horror filled their faces.

"What is she doing?!" Shiki yelled to Kirux, who just watched Xion running through the crowd, striking down Heartless around her.

She didn't get very far into the Heartless crowd before getting swarmed.

A bunch of Neoshadows jumped her, causing Xion to fall to the ground, her Keyblade going flying.

"NO!" Kirux yelled, watching as the Neoshadows piled onto her.

His face then turned, from horror...to anger.

He put the Heartless down on the ground, and ran towards where Xion was.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" He yelled, as he started radiating darkness from his body.

Neku and Shiki just watched, as the Heartless all turned on Kirux.

…

The Heartless closed in on Kirux. They were preparing to pounce on him, just like they did with Xion.

But Kirux was having none of it. He took his Keyblade, slamming it into the ground. As soon as his Keyblade hit the ground, a shockwave of darkness sent all of the Heartless flying, all of them dispersing a second after.

The Heartless on top of Xion were sent flying, while Neku and Shiki were fine, along with their own Heartless.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Hand in Hand - KH3**_

* * *

Kirux dispersed his Keyblade, and immediately ran over to Xion. She was rising slowly, but could barely hold herself up.

He helped her up, the Heartless running over to her and checking on her.

Kirux then shouted at her, "Are you crazy?! What were you thinking?! I told you NOT to do that, and look at what you did! You almost got yourself killed, Xion!"

Xion didn't say anything, just picking up the Heartless and holding it to her chest.

"Did you even listen to me when I said it was crazy for you to go alone?! Why didn't you let me help? Why did you just run off like -,"

Before he could continue, he caught himself, his brain just now realizing that yelling at her wasn't gonna help anything.

And when he saw her expression, and how upset she was, he realized his mistake.

"Xion, I'm...sorry. I don't know where that came from."

She again said nothing to him, and when he reached out for her, she yanked herself away from him and walked away from them all.

…

Kirux sighed, hitting himself on the side of the head multiple times, "You're an idiot, Kirux."

"You're a dumb," Smack.

"arrogant," Smack.

"stupid," Smack.

"idiot." Smack.

Shiki said, "Let me go talk to her," and she went to go check on Xion.

* * *

 _ **Play: Confrontation with Vanitas - KH3**_

* * *

Kirux heard clapping coming from behind him.

"My, that was a pretty snazzy performance there."

Kirux recognized the voice, and he turned to face him. When he saw that black helmet, he was instantly angry.

His face scrunched up in anger, "Vanitas." He snarled.

Neku came up right behind him, "You're the guy from before! The one that wanted me to bring you Xion!"

Right on cue, Joshua and the others entered the Fountain Plaza.

…

"Why are you here, Vanitas?"

"Oh, I'm not doing anything special. I'm just here to check in on some old friends."

"Odd. Because I don't remember us ever being considered friends."

"Come on, Kirux. Don't you remember all the fun times we had together? Y'know, like the time I nearly took your girlfriend away from you."

Kirux just gritted his teeth at him.

"Are you the one that's holding us here?" Joshua asked.

Vanitas turned to Joshua, "Well, I may have pulled some strings..."

They all gasped, Kirux saying, "So it was you. You're the one that blocked their way home!"

"I can only assume you were the one that messed with their mission timers too..." Joshua said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yep. You're right on track."

…

Kirux was only getting more angry, "I don't understand. Why keep these guys here? They haven't done anything to you!"

Vanitas just shrugged, "Don't know. The Master doesn't let me in on all of the details. I'm just following orders."

"Although," he continued, "I think it had to do with some girl. Her name was...Rhyme, if I can recall..."

Beat stepped up, "What do you want with my sister?!"

"That's none of your business..."

Kirux shook his head, "ENOUGH! This isn't about them! This fight is between you and us! Leave innocent people out of it!"

He had pulled his Keyblade out, ready to engage.

…

"All bark and no bite still...I like that about you, Kirux. If only you had stayed your course, I think we could've been good friends..."

A dark portal appeared behind him, and Vanitas waved his hand goodbye, "See you soon, Kirux. Take care of Xion for us...after all, we may need her if things go awry..."

That remark really made Kirux angry, "DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT XION LIKE THAT!"

He ran towards Vanitas, trying to strike him, but his blade only met the concrete below.

Kirux punched the ground, "I really...REALLY hate that guy..."

* * *

 **There we go. Hope y'all enjoyed.**

 **See y'all next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	45. XLV - Game On

**This took longer for me to release then I wanted, but oh well.**

 **You'll noticed I skipped updating "The Soldier of Darkness Final Mix" (that's what it's called now) so I could post this. There are some things I really want to get to, so I'm gonna skip updating "TSODR" for this chapter and the next one (which we'll talk about at the end).**

 **Anyways, let's continue.**

* * *

 _Picture: Xion sleeping in the Traverse Town hotel, their Heartless resting in her arms._

Caption:

 _Kirux - Looks like Xion's already warmed up to our new friend :) #traversetown #heartless #xion_

Comments:

 _Xion - I hate you for posting this...it's so embarrassing._

 _Kairi - ***Xion** What are you talking about? This is ADORABLE!_

 _Lea -_ _Uh-oh. Looks like ***Kirux** has a new competitor ;)_

 _Xion - ***Lea** Kirux has lost his phone privileges for the time being. Do not message or call him._

* * *

 ** _Play: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D: Dream Drop Distance_**

* * *

When she left after Kirux's outburst, Xion went to the Fifth District, sitting above the doors to the indoor gardens.

She was crying silently, holding the Heartless against her chest.

She was just trying to understand why he was so angry. His outburst completely caught her off guard.

It was nothing like Kirux would _ever_ do. Normally, he would run up to her super terrified that she was hurt, check over her, and she would have to reassure him that she was fine, possibly more than once.

But this time, rather than seeing if she was okay, he just...berated her. Kirux almost never yelled at Xion. And whenever he did, it was never out of anger.

Xion felt the Heartless touching her face, trying to wipe her tears away. She smiled down at it.

"I'm sorry you had to see all of that, little guy. Don't be upset with Kirux. He's...not normally like that..."

She started messing with one of it's antennae, twirling it around her finger, "Still, I don't understand why he got so mad..."

The Heartless just sat in her lap, appreciating the attention.

…

Xion heard footsteps behind her, thinking it was Kirux, "I don't want to talk to you right now..."

"Xion, it's me." She heard Shiki's voice.

"Oh...sorry Shiki. I thought you were...him..."

Shiki walked up and sat next to Xion, "Are you okay?"

"Define "okay"."

"You know what I mean. Are you...feeling okay after what happened with Kirux?"

Xion flinched slightly. The thought of what he said still hurt, "No, I'm not okay. I...I just don't know why he was so...mad."

Xion continued, "And yeah, I made a mistake. I put myself at risk when I really didn't need to. But...the way he reacted..."

"I guess him and I just have some things to work out..."

"Well," Shiki said, "I know Kirux really regretted it. He was smacking himself against the head after you left. He was...really upset with himself."

…

"You know, Kirux and I have seen hundreds of sunsets together..."

Shiki looked up at Xion as she continued, "But, I can't think of any time him and I have ever sat down and just...looked at the stars."

Xion was staring up at the stars, which she had read that each of them was a didn't world.

"You guys have never stargazed before?"

"No, but I've heard about it. It sounds really nice."

"It is. Back home, the stars always looked so beautiful at night. And even though it's not home, the stars...it makes things feel like it."

Xion smiled, "Yeah...one day, instead of the sunset, him and I will just find somewhere to sit down, and watch the stars. It'll be nice..."

…

After a few minutes, Shiki stood up, "We really need to go back to the others."

Xion frowned, "Do we _have_ to?"

"Yes Xion. I know you're still upset, but we can't get home without the both of you."

Xion just shrugged, "You're right," and she stood up, putting the Heartless on her shoulder again, "But I'm still mad at him."

"You can be mad at him all you want. But just...try to at least cooperate with him."

"I will."

The two of them left the Fifth District.

…

…

…

Kirux saw the two of them walking towards them, and immediately ran up to Xion.

"Hey," he started, "Look, I know you're mad at me, and you have every right to be. And...I just want to-,"

Xion stopped him by putting her hand up, "Kirux, just...not now."

"Xion..."

"We'll talk about it later."

Kirux didn't argue or continue. He remained silent as they regrouped with Joshua, Beat, Rhyme, and Neku.

"This doesn't make any sense..." Joshua said, "What would the guys in black coats want with Rhyme?"

"Wait, what?" Xion asked, turning to Kirux.

"Right after you left, Vanitas showed up. Apparently, he's the one that's trapped these guys here, and he wants something, something that has to do with Rhyme."

Kirux looked over at Rhyme, "I have no idea what they're after, but...now, we've gotta focus on watching Rhyme and keeping her safe."

Xion also looked at Rhyme, "I'm sorry, Rhyme. I didn't want you guys to get involved with the Organization."

Rhyme just shook her head, "Don't worry, you guys. It's not your fault."

…

"Well, now we need a plan. If that "Vanitas" character is the one that disabled their mission timers and are keeping us locked in this world, _and_ is coming after Rhyme, then we're gonna need a plan to get to him and have him unlock the way."

"But Josh," Neku said, "How is that possible? He's not a Reaper."

"A Reaper?" Kirux said.

"The entities that ran the game these guys participated in. They were the ones who ran the mission clocks, as well as the missions themselves."

"Well, if anybody can manipulate anyone into doing their bidding, it's the Organization. Those guys...they're bad news."

Xion nodded, "Yeah. Whatever we come up with, we'd better be extra careful."

"Okay," Joshua nodded, "Well, Kirux's plan did work the first time..."

"It _kinda_ worked, but...things could have gone better in a few ways."

Xion knew he was talking about her, but ignored it, "So...now what?"

"I dunno. If Vanitas hadn't taken off, maybe we'd have something to go off of."

Xion sighed.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Traverse in Trance - KH 3D: Dream Drop Distance**_

* * *

"Come on. I thought you guys were better than this."

Kirux and Xion turned around, finding Vanitas up on top of the Fountain.

"Vanitas!"

Xion and Kirux ran closer, pulling their Keyblades out.

"You know, I wanted this to be a lot tougher, but...you guys really are as dumb as rocks."

"So...why don't we just get things started now?"

* * *

 _ **Play: Hand in Hand - KH3**_

* * *

Vanitas snapped his fingers, and Unversed surrounded Kirux and Xion. They also surrounded Joshua and the others.

"So, you guys wanna play a game? Well, the game's back on."

He snapped again, and while nothing changed for Kirux and Xion, things were different for Neku, Shiki, Rhyme, and Beat.

The clocks on their hands had started counting down again from sixty minutes.

Kirux yelled up to Vanitas, "What did you do?!"

"I am in charge now, Kirux. The game is mine to control."

"Your first mission is simple. Somewhere in town, there's a special Unversed that I've sent out. Just find it, and eliminate it."

Vanitas waved lightly, "Good luck..." And he disappeared.

As he disappeared, the Unversed attacked them.

…

The Unversed Vanitas had sent to attack them were nothing to Kirux and Xion. When they were done, they ran over and helped Neku and the others.

When they were done, Kirux immediately started saying, "Alright. He said that he hid an Unversed somewhere in town."

Neku looked down at his hand, "Guys! Our clocks..."

Shiki, Rhyme, and Beat looked at their hands and saw the running clocks.

"Guys..." Xion said.

"Don't worry about it, Xion." Joshua said, "Now that the clocks are running again, we've got work to do."

"He's right," Kirux said, "Let's split up. We can cover more ground if we do."

"Okay. Rhyme and Beat, check the Fourth and Fifth Districts. Neku and Shiki, you guys go to the Post Office. Xion and Kirux, why don't you head through the Back Streets. You guys can meet up with Neku and Shiki at the First District and check the rest of the town."

They all nodded, and dispersed.

…

…

…

"Hey, so...can we please talk about what happened?"

Kirux and Xion had just entered the Back Streets, walking towards the First District.

Xion just sighed, "I said we'd talk later, Kirux."

"Come on, Xion. Please. Just let me explain myself."

Xion sighed. He wasn't going to give up, so she relented, "Fine. You've got five minutes."

"Look, I'm _soooooooo_ sorry about yelling at you. It was just...when I saw what you did, even after I insisted that you didn't do it, I just...got mad. Not at you, I was mad at the Heartless because they had swarmed you. Some of that anger just...ended up coming out, and I directed it at you when I didn't mean to."

Xion said nothing as he continued, "Please Xion. Please understand that I wasn't mad at you. Was I upset that you did something as crazy as that? Yeah, I was. But I would never, repeat NEVER, react like I did in a normal situation. I'm so so so sorry about that. It was unwarranted, and your safety was my number one priority at that time."

…

Xion checked her phone, "Perfect timing. Your five minutes just finished."

"So...what are you gonna say?"

Xion put her phone away, just as a bunch of Unversed appeared.

"I was gonna say something, but they just had to interrupt."

Kirux sighed, "I'll handle them."

He pulled his Keyblade out and ran at them. Much like when they had swarmed Xion, just one slam of his Keyblade against the ground was enough to disperse all of the Unversed.

Xion just said, "Wow." when he stood up and put his Keyblade away.

"Yeah, I'm...still a little upset about those Heartless swarming you."

"But those guys weren't even Heartless."

"They were sent by Vanitas. And I _really_ don't like him."

Xion smiled at that. Kirux was slowly starting to win her back over.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Hand in Hand - KH3**_

* * *

Xion and Kirux ran into the First District, just as Neku and Shiki entered from the Post Office.

"So, did you guys find it?" Shiki asked as they all gathered together.

"Nope. Nothing but the small fry throughout the Back Streets." Kirux said.

"What about you two? Surely, it could've been in the Post Office. It's huge." Xion asked.

Neku shook his head, "If we had found it, we wouldn't have asked."

"Well, how much time do you guys have left on your clocks?"

Neku and Shiki checked, reading that they had just under thirty minutes left.

"About half-an-hour," Shiki said, "Neku, why don't you call Beat and Rhyme and see if they've found anything?"

Neku pulled a small cell phone out of his back pocket and started dialing.

…

"That reminds me. Can I have my phone back now?" Kirux asked Xion.

Xion sighed, "Fine." And pulled his phone out of her pocket and gave it back to him.

"Thanks. Sorry about sending that picture to everyone." He said as he slid the phone into his own pocket.

"Don't worry about it. Besides...I'll admit, it was kind of cute."

Shiki smiled, "So, have you two worked things out?"

Kirux and Xion looked at each other, and Xion shrugged, "Sort of..."

…

"There. Finally got through to him," Neku said, putting the phone up to his ear, "Beat. Did you guys find the-,"

He stopped, as Beat began yelling. He was so loud, all of the others could hear him.

 _"THAT THING TOOK RHYME! GET OVER HERE, NOW!"_

"Whoa Beat. Settle down. Where are you? We'll head there as fast as we can."

 _"That thing ambushed as in the inner gardens! Fifth District! HURRY!"_

With that, Beat hung up. Neku pocketed his phone.

"We've gotta get over there. Now. He said that monster got Rhyme."

Xion stepped forward, "Then we've gotta go help them! If he gets Rhyme, then there's no telling what he'll do!"

The four of them ran immediately to the Fifth District.

* * *

 _ **Play: Unforgettable - KH3**_

* * *

When they entered the inner gardens, they were greeted with Beat immediately being thrown back at them. He nearly took out Neku and Kirux, but they both got out of the way.

Joshua appeared, running in behind them, "That thing's got Rhyme!"

Xion and Kirux went towards the railing, looking down at the Unversed. They saw a massive, pink blob with a small head, and a massive body. The body had a mouth-like opening, with teeth resembling prison bars. Inside the Unversed was Rhyme, who looked to be unconscious. It also featured two long, wavy arms.

Xion turned back to them, "Guys, let Kirux and I handle this one."

"But-," Shiki started, but Xion interrupted her.

"No Shiki. This time, it's too dangerous."

Kirux looked back now, "Just watch our backs and make sure nothing gets through into the gardens. Xion and I will handle the Unversed, and get Rhyme out."

With that, they both vaulted over the railing and ran towards the Unversed.

Kirux looked over at Xion, "You sure you don't want them to help?"

Xion nodded, "After everything they've been through, I feel like we should be the ones to handle this. They've done enough already."

"Alright then."

They both pulled their Keyblades out, and ran at the Unversed.

…

The Unversed was very tanky. A lot of the attacks Kirux and Xion landed did almost nothing to it. Fortunately for them, it didn't like to attack very often. Whenever it did attack, Kirux and Xion could easily just swat its arms away or jump over them.

Kirux did manage to get the Unversed to open its mouth smacking it in the face with his Keyblade. Xion ran in, grabbed Rhyme, and ran out to return her to beat and the others.

Kirux was keeping the Unversed busy for the time being, but after what they had just done, it was not very happy. It went from docile to all-out attack in seconds.

It was flailing its arms around at Kirux, him being able to dodge the first few swings. But when it swung both arms outward, he couldn't get out of the way or his Keyblade up in time.

He got slammed hard in the stomach, flying back and into a wall. He lay on the ground, unable to get up.

"Kirux!" Xion yelled, but before she could do anything, the Unversed was attacking her.

However, something started to surge up within her. Something... _dark_.

She had dark energy radiating from her Keyblade and her arm.

 _"Is this...Kirux's power?"_ She thought, but didn't have time to answer her own question before the Unversed attacked her again.

Rather than dodge, she went to swat the arm away. She was stunned when she noticed her Keyblade go straight through it, cutting its arm clean in half.

Xion was surprised, but had to take her chance now and end this fight.

She went towards the Unversed, slashing her Keyblade twice. Two slash marks went through the Unversed, and it dispersed into a dark cloud.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Unforgettable - KH3**_

* * *

Kirux walked over to Xion, holding his side, "How...did you use my powers like that?"

Xion pulled a Potion out for him, holding it out to him, "I'm not sure. After you went down, it just...showed up out of nowhere."

"Nice work, you two. You make quite the pair."

Vanitas was back again, now standing where the Unversed was.

Kirux and Xion gritted their teeth at the site of him.

"Are you gonna give up and let these guys go him?"

"Yes, actually."

…

They were both surprised to hear that, "My boss is ordering me out of town. Says I have unfinished business to deal with elsewhere. So, I'll be nice. I'll let your friends go home."

Xion looked over at Kirux, "Is he being for real?" She whispered.

Kirux just shrugged.

"Oh trust me. I'm just as upset we won't be able to continue this game, but trust me. We'll continue this soon. I guarantee it."

"Yeah sure, whatever. Just open the portal so our friends can leave already."

Vanitas said nothing, just snapping his fingers. There was a flash of light, and he was gone. But, a dark corridor was there in its place.

"That must be it."

…

"So, this is it." Joshua said, "We can finally go home."

When Xion and Kirux turned around, they were all standing there (except Rhyme, who was still unconscious and being carried by Beat).

"Yeah, I guess it is." Xion said, "Now, you guys can go home."

"I didn't think it would be that easy." Neku said.

"Neither did we, but...not much else we can do."

* * *

 _ **Play: Calling - The World Ends With You**_

* * *

"Well, I guess...this is goodbye." Shiki said.

"Yeah, I guess it is."

"No," Xion said, "Remember our promise? We'll come visit you guys soon."

"Really?"

Xion nodded, looking at Kirux, who also nodded in agreement.

Shiki smiled, and Xion could even see a small smirk from Neku, "Thanks you guys. We couldn't have asked for better friends."

They walked through the portal, Beat just muttering a "Thanks" before walking through.

…

Joshua stood before Kirux and Xion, "I don't understand...why would that guy give up so easily?"

"Yeah, it's a little odd. But, let Xion and I handle that part."

Xion nodded, "Yeah. You guys just go home and relax. We'll handle Organization XIII."

Joshua hesitated, but just nodded, "Just want to let you guys know...we'll never forget all that you've done for us. All that you've done for _me_."

Kirux just smiled, "It was nothing. That's what friends are for, right?"

Joshua laughed, "You sound like Sora..."

…

"Wait, you know Sora?!" Xion said out loud, but it was right after Joshua had entered the portal. The portal closed after he entered.

Kirux just shook his head, "What a weird guy..."

"Yeah..."

…

"So...now what? I mean, for us."

"Well, I guess we move on to the next world. We're done here, so let's head to the next place that needs our help."

Kirux nodded, pulling out his Keyblade, "Alright, I'll open a portal."

"No need," Xion said, and put their Heartless out to him, "I'm tired of carrying him. It's your turn."

Kirux just frowned, "Really?"

Xion just stood there with the Heartless out in front of her.

Kirux sighed, putting his Keyblade away, "Fine. Come here, buddy."

He grabbed the Heartless from Xion, putting him on his shoulder, "You're gonna ride along with me for a while, okay?"

The Heartless just nodded happily, putting its arm out for a high five. Kirux gave it to them with a smile.

Xion smiled, "You know, that might help out with carrying him."

She was pointing to a backpack that was lying on the ground.

"Oh, that'll be perfect."

Kirux went over and grabbed it, placing the Heartless inside, but keeping it open for him to breathe.

Kirux slung the backpack over his shoulders, "How's that, pal?"

The Heartless popped up out of the backpack, happily waving his antennae around.

Xion and Kirux both giggled at him.

…

"So, off to the next world?"

"Yep."

"Okay, let's go."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Calling - The World Ends With You**_

 _ **Play: Organization XIII - KH3**_

* * *

"Why are you here?"

Vanitas looked over at Young Xehanort, "Here to pick someone up. I need 'em to do something for me while I'm out doing what Xehanort commands."

"And what is that? To play your little games with Kirux and Xion?"

"What I'm doing with Kirux and Xion is very important. I'm doing what the Master wants. Riling up the darkness in each world, as well as collecting some...back up solutions."

Young Xehanort just shook his head, "Playing games with Kirux and Xion is not going to get us anywhere."

Vanitas just brushed him off, "Relax. I got this."

…

He then turned to a hooded-figure standing in the corner.

"Hey you! Come here!"

They walked over to Vanitas, removing their hood. Skyler, her eyes a new shade of golden yellow.

"I have a job for you."

He pulled out an object from his pocket. It was a red gemstone, with black markings along one of the sides.

"What is this?" Sky asked Vanitas.

"It's a gemstone. A ruby, to be more precise. It has some strange power, able to manipulate reality and can even act as a portal between worlds. I think it can also manipulate time."

Vanitas moved to stand next to her, wrapping his arm over her shoulder, "Now, I need you to go to a very specific world. Kirux and Xion will be headed there right around now. Just head there, and make sure you give this to a...worthy candidate."

"What do you mean by "worthy candidate"?"

"Just find someone who will put it to good use. Say...someone trying to conquer their world, I dunno. Just give it to them, and your work there will be done. Okay?"

Sky said nothing, just pocketing the ruby and opening a portal. Right before she walked through, Vanitas gave her a "good luck".

Young Xehanort just shook his head and left.

* * *

 **There we go. Hope you enjoyed.**

 **Now, we gotta discuss the next chapter. The next one will be...controversial, in a sense. Remember when I posted an update a while during one of my _many_ hiatuses that one of the worlds would be a non-Disney, non-Square property? Well, the next chapter will be introducing that world. Just a fair warning beforehand. And while this may seem like it's going into crossover territory, I will say that this is the ONLY time I intend to do something like this. I'm only doing it now because I want this story to feel unique and more like its own thing.**

 **Please don't hate me. I hope you understand. See y'all next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	46. XLVI - Infinite's Delusions

**If y'all read the last chapter, I hope you got my warning. This chapter introduces a world not based on a Disney or Square Enix property. I'm not gonna say what it is, but if you remember the hint that I left on that old update from a few months ago, then you've probably figured out what this is gonna be.**

 **So…enjoy? I hope you guys enjoy. I've been afraid about posting this for almost a year now, but I can't go back on it now.**

 **So, go ahead and read. We'll talk again at the end.**

* * *

Picture:

 _Kirux and Xion standing together in the inner gardens, the backpack with their Heartless on Kirux's back._

Caption:

 _Xion: Mine and Kirux's relationship may not be perfect, but I know that no matter what happens, him and I will never be apart... #kiruxandxion_

Comments:

 _Sora: Is everything okay with you two? Did you guys have a fight? And quick question, WHY IS KIRUX CARRYING A HEARTLESS ON HIS BACK?!_

 _Lea: I'm with Sora. Everything going okay?_

 _Xion: ***Sora *Lea**_ _We're fine now. Just a little disagreement we had. Also, that Heartless is our new friend. We have to introduce him to you guys!_

* * *

When they exited the portal, it was dark out. You could see very little, even with the moonlight.

Despite this, Kirux and Xion were walking through whatever place they had entered.

Kirux looked back at Xion, motioning to keep moving.

He looked back forward, took a few steps, then stopped.

 _"Wait a_ _second..."_ He thought.

Kirux turned around, and sure enough...

 _"What the-?!"_

…

Both him and Xion jumped away from one another, pulling their Keyblades out.

"X-Xion? Is...that you?"

Xion stood up straight, "It's me, but...Kirux...what _happened_ to you?"

"What happened to me? What happened to YOU?!"

They put their Keyblades away, walking back towards each other.

"Did you...turn into a cat..?"

…

Sure enough, Xion had transformed. Instead of her normal body, she was now a black cat. Instead of a vest, she now had a jacket, as well as a body suit that covered her upper and part of her lower body. She had black boots on now too, as well as large white gloves on her hands.

Xion looked over herself, even checking behind her, "Yeah, I guess I did..."

She then checked her back, and freaked out, "Is that a freaking tail?!"

Kirux looked at his arms, noticing he had the same white gloves, black boots, and jacket. The body suit was not present on him, and his skin (or fur) had turned a dark gray. He also checked behind him, and yes...he had a tail now too.

"What in the world am I?" Kirux said, causing Xion to stop freaking out.

She checked him over, saying, "Umm...looks like you got turned into a wolf or something..."

…

Kirux checked himself out again, then looked at Xion, then crossed his arms across his chest, "Is this...how we're meant to fit in?"

"I dunno. Do you think maybe Master Yen Sid put some sort of spell on our clothes?"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

Kirux pulled the backpack from his back, "Let's check him out and see if he's changed."

He opened the pack, and the Heartless popped out. He was his normal self, and was happily reaching up to Kirux.

They both let out a sigh of relief, and Kirux rubbed his head, which made the Heartless even happier.

Kirux then put the backpack on his back, but didn't close it so if the Heartless wanted to come out he could, "I wonder what kind of people live here."

"Is it possible we accidentally ended up at Disney Castle?"

"No, because even when we're in Disney Castle, we don't get turned into animals."

"Good point..."

…

Kirux turned around, noticing something in the distance.

"Well, if there's anyplace we can check out, I bet it's there."

"What makes you think that?"

"The smoke. And the fire."

When Xion looked where he was looking, she saw it. There was a city off in the distance, but there were multiple smokestacks climbing into the sky.

"We'd better check it out."

"Yeah. It could be Heartless, for all we know."

They both ran forward, heading towards the city.

* * *

 **Entered New World: Mobius**

* * *

Kirux and Xion were walking through the city, and it was far from pretty.

The city was a complete war-zone. Buildings had been reduced to rubble, fires were spreading everywhere, the sounds of gunfire and explosions filled the air, and in the distance, they could see massive robots that were as tall as large buildings roaming the city.

Xion spoke lightly, "This is terrible. Who could be doing something like this?"

"I dunno. But...with all these busted robots lying around, I would assume it's not the Heartless or the Organization."

She looked at Kirux, "You think it was someone from this world?"

"I'm not a hundred-percent sure, but I can guess. Especially with the lack of Heartless running around, something makes me think the Heartless haven't found this place yet."

"It'd hard to, with all of... _this_."

"Yeah. It's weird."

…

Kirux ran his hand along the wall before it ran over a peace of paper on the wall.

"Look at these." He said to Xion, grabbing it off of the wall.

Xion looked towards them, "What are they?"

"Propaganda posters."

 _"Join the Fight! Join the Resistance!"_ was written on the poster, with red and black imagery showing a bunch of anthropomorphic animals toppling down one of those massive robots, holding gun-like object in their hands.

Kirux let the paper go, it flying off into the air, "Good to see there's people fighting back."

"Maybe we can lend a hand."

"I have a feeling that's why we came here..."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, we were walking through the corridors for a while. There were no other portals to go through. Then, this place just...showed up and we came through."

"So, do you think we were sent here for a reason?"

Kirux shrugged, "I dunno, Xion. This is all just so weird. I'm still not used to having been turned into an animal."

Xion laughed, "Yeah, I'm still getting used to that too..."

…

Xion and Kirux kept going, the sun now rising over the horizon.

They entered a square, the area being relatively cleared.

Kirux could already sense something was off, and stopped Xion from walking any further.

"What's the matter?" She asked him.

"Something doesn't feel right..."

"Whaddya mean?"

"Isn't a little...quiet to you?"

* * *

 _ **Play: Metallic Madness Act 1 - Sonic Mania**_

* * *

Suddenly, a robot landed in front of them. It's body was spherical, but there was a small section for the eyes. It had a small cannon on its right arm.

Then, other robots started landing around them, surrounding the two of them. There was probably twelve surrounding them.

Xion spoke up, "Maybe they're friendly?"

The robot directly ahead of them put its arm out towards them. It was the one with the cannon on it, and it began charging.

Kirux grabbed Xion and pulled her to the side, just as the robot fired an energy blast at the two of them. It flew past, hitting the wall in a small explosion.

They got back up, Kirux saying, "Can confirm. They are NOT friendly."

He pulled his Keyblade out, Xion doing the same. They stood back to back, as the robots started coming closer to them.

"You ready?" Kirux asked Xion, and she nodded.

She ran at the robots first, as they stopped had stopped advancing. Kirux did as well immediately after.

…

Another robot prepared to fire another energy blast. Xion just swatted its arm away, and stabbed the robot. Sparks and wires came out when she pulled her Keyblade back out, as the robot fell down. Another robot fired at her, but she dodged the blast, which then hit another one of the robots. She stabbed it through the top and hopped off, the robot exploding into parts.

Kirux had sliced one robot clean in half, both pieces falling to two different sides. Two robots were aiming at him, so he jumped right when they fired so that their blasts hit each other. Both robots exploded immediately after.

Only three more remained, but Xion dealt with them all at once. She used a Thunder spell that, when the robots were struck, caused them to sputter out and power down.

"Whew," Xion said, "This is different than fighting Heartless."

"Yeah. Different, but I'd say we handled that we-,"

He was interrupted by an explosion going off, this time a lot closer than the other ones. Along with that, they could hear people screaming, alongside gunfire.

"There could be more of them." Kirux said to Xion.

"Or Heartless. Let's go check it out."

They ran towards where the explosion came from.

…

…

…

When they reached the area, they found even more robots attacking a bunch of people (who were also all animals). They were hiding behind a pile of rubble, one of them had a weapon and was firing little, blue lasers at the robots.

The same circular robots were here, but they were joined by robots that looked like bees. They were flying, and at the bottom they had a cannon that fired the same energy blasts.

"There's people behind that rubble!" Xion yelled.

"Go help them! I've got this!" Kirux pulled his Keyblade out, and threw it at the robots.

It moved from robot to robot, destroying all but one of the ones on the ground. Kirux caught his Keyblade out of the air, and slammed the robot into a wall.

…

Xion went over to the people hiding. They were all animals, like the two of them.

"Is everyone okay?" She asked. There were about seven of them, including the one with the weapon. He looked like a soldier.

"We're fine." He said. He was a dog, his ears covered by the helmet he wore, "Are you Resistance?"

Xion shook her head, "No, not exactly. But I'm here to help. Get these people to somewhere safe. We'll handle it from here."

"Are you sure?"

"Kid, just trust me."

He hesitated, but nodded, "Everyone, follow me."

He led the people out and into an alleyway, giving a Xion a "Thank you, and good luck." before following them.

Xion went back over to Kirux, "Are we clear?"

Kirux nodded, "Yeah. This area is clear. Did those people get out?"

"Yes. One of them is getting them to somewhere safe."

"Good. Let's keep going."

They left the area.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Metallic Madness Act 1 - Sonic Mania**_

* * *

Xion and Kirux made it to a new area. They were about to enter, when Xion grabbed Kirux's arm and pulled him around a corner.

"What's the deal?" He said to her.

She motioned towards who was in the area, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't want you running on the guys who's _floating in the air_."

"What?"

…

Kirux looked out, and sure enough...there was someone floating in the air. They were an animal, so definitely not Heartless or Organization.

"Who is that?"

"No idea."

Kirux looked again to see what they looked like. They were some kind of like a fox or a wolf, but he couldn't tell for sure. They had long, white dreads on their head and a long black tail with white on the end. They had a silver helmet which cover their left eye, so he couldn't see what they looked like. His shoes were a mix of silver, grey, and black, while his gloves her black.

"Let's try to get closer. See what's going on."

Xion nodded, and the two of them moved closer to get a better look at the floating guy.

…

As they moved closer, Kirux noticed something.

"What's that thing on his chest?" He said to Xion.

Xion looked up, and saw a triangular object on his chest. It was pulsating, and the floating guy was now starting to glow with a red aura.

"I think it's a ruby. It might be giving him that red aura."

* * *

 _ **Play: You May Call Me..."Infinite" - Sonic Forces**_

* * *

Then suddenly, a bunch of people came out and started shooting at the floating guy.

"Stay down!" Kirux said, as they ducked behind cover. Thankfully, the floating guy wasn't looking in their direction.

…

As the people shot (and missed) at him, the floating guy spoke. He had a deep, male voice, "There is no reason to resist. Your savior is no more."

He then fired a laser beam out of his hand, and with one swipe, took out all of the ones who had been shooting at him.

Xion gasped in shock, "Oh no..."

Kirux pulled her back down, "Quiet!"

…

One of the weapons flew away, landing in front of someone cowering behind cover. Kirux watched him intently.

He was a green hedgehog, with light blue streaks going down his long quills. He wore a trench coat, and his shoes were red and blue, with a white strap going down the center connected by a silver buckle.

The weapon landed in front of him, and he stood up and went to grab it.

Floating Guy spotted him, "I can taste your terror, child. All that anxiety and doubt..."

The hedgehog struggled to pick the weapon up, but he did and aimed at Floating Guy. His arm was shaking violently.

"It's delicious..." Floating Guy said as he brought his hand up, firing a small laser at the hedgehog. It landed at his feet, but it caused him to fall over and drop the weapon.

…

Kirux looked back to Xion, "He's can take him out, like the others."

"I know. What are we gonna do?"

Kirux pulled his Keyblade out, "Lemme go get that guy out of here. You distract floating guy."

Xion nodded, "Got it."

"Alright, we go on three..."

…

Floating Guy started talking again, "Give in to your fear. Flee, screaming, and I'll le-,"

"Go!" Kirux said, him and Kirux hopping out from their cover.

Xion jumped up, hitting the Floating Guy with a blast of light. It blinded him temporarily, but when Xion went to attack him, he stopped her Keyblade with some strange, red orb.

She was left dangling for a second, before he threw her away. She flew into Kirux, and the two of them tumbled down to the ground.

The Heartless flew out of the backpack on Kirux's back, landing on the ground a few feet away.

Kirux looked up, seeing the hedgehog he saw earlier, "Run!"

"But-,"

"Just get out of here, before you get hurt!"

The hedgehog looked hesitant, but did run away.

Xion got off of Kirux, who immediately grabbed the Heartless and put him back in his backpack.

Floating Guy fire some laser projectiles at Xion, who swatted them all away.

…

Floating Guy crossed his arms over his chest, covering his the gemstone on his chest, "Who are you two? I've never seen someone fight like you."

His eyes went to Xion's Keyblade, "And that weapon...you're not from here, are you?"

Xion didn't answer, instead yelling, "Who are you?! Are you the one that's causing all of this chaos?!"

"I am not the one who's calling the shots, but...you could say I'm the enforcer."

He continued, "As for my name, you may call me...Infinite. In what little time will remain of the two of you."

Kirux had put the Heartless back in the backpack, this time making sure it was closed, "Is that a threat?"

"Not a threat. More like...a promise."

Kirux scoffed, "Listen man. This whole thing is fun and all, but why don't you just tell us who you're working for so we can move on with our days. Sound good?"

"If you were of this world, you would know who I work for."

Kirux and Xion looked at each other.

…

Xion decided to speak up, "Why are you doing all of this?"

Infinite let his arms down to his sides, "Using this power, there is nothing can stop me. To these insects, I am...invincible."

Kirux just shook his head, "Nobody is invincible. Whatever you and whoever you're working for are doing, we'll stop it. We're not gonna let you run rampant against all these people."

Infinite put a hand up, saying, "Silence, you fool."

He fired something at Kirux, and when it hit him, Kirux suddenly bound by a strange wire.

Kirux went flying back, much to Xion's surprise. He struggled to break free from it, while Xion looked back to Infinite, gritting her teeth.

"Let him go!" Xion yelled.

"No. You two are naïve and need to be dealt with. I'll show you...my _real_ power!"

Suddenly, a red wave of energy came from Infinite. It surrounded him and Xion, with Kirux still struggling to break free from the outside.

Xion took a step back, but prepared to fight.

* * *

 _ **Stop: You May Call Me..."Infinite" - Sonic Forces**_

 _ **Play: Vim and Vigor - KH 2.5**_

* * *

Infinite started by summoning two red orbs in his hand, throwing them at Xion. Xion dodged the first, then swatted the second one away.

She went to attack Infinite, managing to avoid his attack and hit him in the face. It didn't damage his helmet, but it definitely did ring a bell inside.

Infinite then grabbed Xion's Keyblade, and threw her away again. Xion recovered, landing on her feet this time.

Infinite glew in a red aura again, then dove straight at Xion. Xion rolled to the left, avoiding Infinite.

She ran up behind him, attacking again. Xion managed to get a few good hits in before summoning a pillar of light that hit Infinite from above.

She hopped back as he countered with a burst of energy.

…

Infinite turned back to Xion, "You're better than I thought."

Xion shook her head, "Stop talking."

She ran at him, but Infinite used the ruby on his chest and froze her.

She could feel everything, but couldn't move.

Infinite moved behind her, kicking her into the air, then back down to the ground, and then again into the wall that he created.

Xion collided with the wall, landing on the ground hard.

She got up though, although weak, she wasn't finished.

"Such persistence. If only the blue rat had this much fight in him..."

…

Infinite then moved his hands, summoning two orbs of energy. There were cubes coming out of the orbs.

Suddenly, they disappeared. Then, those orbs turned into shockwaves in the ground. Infinite flew above in the center, watching Xion as she dodged the shockwaves.

Xion jumped over another shockwave, but Infinite appeared in front of her and knocked her back. She recovered again, and immediately ran back to Infinite.

She unleashed an attack where she hit him over and over again. Infinite tried to block her attacks, but was unable to.

Xion smacked him against his helmet again, and that really got to him.

He stumbled, and Xion kicked him into the wall he created.

The wall dispersed, and they were returned to the normal world.

* * *

 _ **Stop: Vim and Vigor - KH 2.5**_

* * *

Infinite floated back into the air, holding his head.

Kirux finally managed to break free of the restraints, and ran over to Xion.

Infinite spoke, "I can assure you both...this is _not_ over..."

He flew away, off into the distance.

Kirux turned to her, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but," she put a hand to her head, "That was so weird. My head hurts..."

She looked up at Kirux, "What kind of weird world did we end up in?"

Kirux sighed, "I don't know, Xion. I just don't know..."

* * *

 **Don't hate me...**

 **I hope you somehow managed to enjoy it. See you next time (if all of you even stay).**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	47. XLVII - The Fastest Thing Alive

**Okay, so…that last one, huh?**

 **I know some of y'all were probably upset about my decision to include a world from the "Sonic the Hedgehog" franchise (specifically, "Sonic Forces"), and you have every right to be. But, at least hear me out on why I decided to do this.**

 **If it wasn't obvious, I'm a massive Sonic fan (as well as a KH fan). I have been almost as into the franchise as I was with KH about two years ago, when I first started writing KH fanfiction.**

 **I chose Sonic Forces to try and make my story feel unique. I didn't want to be like every other writer. I pride myself on always thinking outside of the box. Hell, it's the reason this series even exists.**

 **I think the story from Sonic Forces has many parallels that could've worked with the KH universe. Unfortunately, the story itself wasn't written very well, and I wanted to put my own twists on things and possibly make Forces' story seem a little bit better. Trust me, if I didn't think I could make it work, I wouldn't have even thought of the idea.**

 **Soundtrack is a banger. Y'all already know how important music is to these stories. Of course, there are some bad apples, but I've done my best to find good remixes that make the music sound a lot better. Yes, the style is different from KH music, but that doesn't necessarily make it bad. Let's just say it might take some getting used to, but believe me. This soundtrack is pretty darn good, in my opinion.**

 **I guess I can only say one thing: _trust me_. Trust me. I can make this work. You just have to have faith with me on this one. And come on, when have I ever let y'all down? _(_** _I probably have already, a few times…_ )

 **And don't worry about the lack of KH stuff in the last one. Trust me, it's coming later down the line.**

 **Anyways, I'm willing to bet that a lot of my followers and favoriters won't read this anymore, but oh well. Let's continue this trainwreck that I caused by driving the train straight off of a three-hundred and fifty-eight foot cliff.**

* * *

Picture:

 _Xion and Kirux in the open field, the Heartless from the backpack in front of Kirux._

Caption:

 _Kirux: So, I guess Xion and I got turned into anthro animals? How in the world did this happen...? #kiruxandxion #newworld #kiruxthewolf? #xionthecat?_

Comments:

 _Lea: Whoa. That's weird. Did you guys go to the King's world by accident?_

 _Kirux: ***Lea** No, we didn't. It's a bit of a long story. We'll tell you later._

 _Sora: Hey, looks kind of like the Pride Lands! That place was lots of fun!_

 _Riku: That's not the Pride Lands, ***Sora**. That's a new world, one that we haven't seen before._

* * *

 ** _Play: Avatar Creation - Sonic Forces_**

* * *

"Did you see anything weird?"

"No."

"Did he do anything strange to you?"

"Apart from the all that red stuff and the red stuff and when he kicked me around, no. I'm fine."

Kirux was pacing back and forth in front of her. She was sitting on the ground, still holding a hand to her head.

Xion winced, "Gosh, this headache is terrible."

Infinite had just taken off a few minutes earlier, but Kirux and Xion were still in the square where Xion had fought him. Her head still hurt a ton from the fight.

…

Kirux stopped pacing, looking at her, "Your head feeling any better?"

Xion shook her head, "Not at all. I dunno what he did to me, but...it hurts like hell..."

Kirux pulled a Potion out of his pocket (it was the same one Xion had given him in Traverse Town. He never used it) and handed it to her, "Here, try this."

Xion took it from him, taking a sip from it, "Thanks." She cringed, "I hate these things. They taste like garbage."

"Sorry, they don't make them in sea-salt ice cream flavor."

Xion sighed, taking another sip, "Unfortunately."

…

"So, what now? Should we go after him?"

Xion finished the Potion, her headache having gone away, "I don't think so. We don't know where we're going."

"Has that ever stopped us before?"

"Yeah, it has."

"When?"

"Plenty of times."

"Gimme an example."

Xion stuttered, then spoke again, "Okay, you've got me there, but still. It's not a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Well, like I said, we don't know where we're going. We've only been in this world for a few hours, at most."

"Good point..."

…

Xion stood up, brushing herself off, "So, do we have a plan?"

Kirux shook his head, "No. We don't have a plan. You got any ideas?"

"We can split up? Remember those posters you found earlier?"

"Yeah. It said something about a "Resistance". So...?"

"So...we should find them, or whoever is leading them."

Kirux cocked his head to the side, "And how are we going to do that? This is a big city, after all."

"I know, but we can split up. If we do, we can cover more ground, and if one of us finds this "resistance," then we can just call one another and meet up."

…

Kirux thought it over, then said, "Y'know...that might work."

"Good." She pointed back over her shoulder, "I'll go this way, while you can go that way," she then pointed back behind him.

"Alright," Kirux responded, just as the Heartless popped out to see what was going on. He climbed onto Kirux's head playfully, looking down at Xion.

Xion giggled, reaching up to rub the Heartless's head, "Make sure you take care of Sora, okay?"

"Sora?"

Xion looked at Kirux, "Yeah. Gotta call him something, right?"

"Well yeah, but why Sora? Wouldn't that just be confusing?"

Xion giggled again, "That's the point, Ki."

She went to run off behind her, but Kirux grabbed her arm before she could, "Wait."

She looked back at him, and could see the concern in his eyes.

"Please, be careful. If something bad happens...I can't help you..."

Xion gave him a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, Kirux. I'll be okay."

He let go of her, and she ran off.

…

The Heartless's antennae dangling in front of his face snapped Kirux out of his daze.

He smiled, "Okay, _Sora_. You ready to go?"

"Sora" nodded, hopping off of Kirux's head so Kirux could catch him.

Kirux laughed, "You're just full of energy, just like the real Sora."

He then realized what he just said, "Well, not like you _aren't_ real! You are, but like... _human_ Sora. Ya know what I mean?"

The Heartless cocked his head to the side, confused.

Kirux just laughed, and they started walking away, "Why don't you climb back inside, where it's safe?"

The Heartless nodded, climbing into the backpack on his back, but keeping its head out so it could look around.

Kirux spoke again, "I hope we can find this "resistance". This world looks like it could need our help big time."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Avatar Creation - Sonic Forces**_

* * *

Xion had her own doubts on this plan of hers.

Who's to tell if this resistance was even real? What if Infinite and whoever controls those robots had already defeated them, and this is just pockets of people who survived, continuing to fight?

Who was the leader of this robot army? Who was Infinite working for? Who was the leader of the resistance?

She had many questions, including why her and Kirux had been sent to this world anyways. They had chosen to go to Traverse Town, but when they showed up here (she didn't know what the world was called yet), it was like what Kirux had said earlier. The portal when they were in the corridors just showed up randomly, without warning.

So, did somebody want them to come here? Was Organization XIII involved, and they just didn't know yet?

"Once I find the resistance, I can ask." She said to herself, as she kept walking through the streets.

…

…

…

When Xion was about to turn out from an alley, she noticed robots in the street. She quickly ducked back in, hiding.

She poked her head out, noticing that they were shooting at something in the sky.

"Is Infinite back?" She whispered to herself, about to summon her Keyblade to fight if he was back.

But, that's not what happened.

Instead, someone landed in the group of robots, dispersing a shockwave of energy that dispersed the robots.

Xion hid behind the wall again, but did peek around to see who it was that had dealt with the robots.

It was a hedgehog, who had white fur with two spikes going down, with five standing straight up on his head. He had gold gauntlets around his wrists and ankles accented with cyan. His boots were blue, cyan, and gray, with a red gemstone engraved on top.

Xion noticed the cyan streaks from his gauntlets were also on the palms of his hands.

"Okay..." she said quietly, "What can this one do?"

…

She didn't need to wait long, as more robots appeared around the hedgehog. They fired on them, and he did something Xion would never expect.

He summoned a shield around him, deflecting all of the energy blasts. He then put his hands up, and the robots were surrounded by cyan energy. He closed his fist, and some of them were crushed. He then threw what robots were not crushed into the wall across from the alley Xion hid in.

Her eyes widened in shock, whispering "Wow."

She accidentally knocked a crate over, it crashing to the ground loudly.

The hedgehog looked into the alley, calling out, "Who's there?!"

"Crap..." Xion whispered, "This is okay. I'll just stay put, and pretend like I'm not here."

"Hopefully, he doesn't notice I'm here..."

Little did she know, the crates she was hiding behind glew in the same cyan aura, and were lifted in the air.

When she felt for the crates behind her, and she noticed they weren't there, she froze.

…

"Who are you?" The hedgehog asked her. He was male, from what she could tell.

"Don't attack. I'm not a threat." She said, turning around with her hands up.

The hedgehog didn't seem convinced, "What's your name?"

"Xion."

"I've never heard of you...are you from around here?"

 _"Can't let him know I'm from a different world..."_ She thought to herself.

So, she lied, "Uhh...yes? I'm from...really far away."

He still wasn't convinced.

…

"Hey, Silver! What's going on?"

The hedgehog looked away, giving Xion an opportunity to get away.

She took off running, just as the Hedgehog looked back at her.

"Hey, come back!"

She didn't listen, but suddenly, she was swept off of her feet.

"What?!" She said, noticing that _she_ had the cyan aura now.

She was then brought over back to the hedgehog, who looked upset.

"First, you hide in an alley. Second, you try to lie in saying you're from here. And third, you try to run away."

Xion said nothing, just glaring at him.

The hedgehog continued, "I know who you are. You're working for Eggman, aren't you?"

"What kind of name is "Eggman"? Why would I be working with someone with a name like that?"

"I don't know your motives, and I don't care."

…

"Hey, let her go! She's on our side."

The hedgehog turned around, seeing a different one approach them

"Wait a minute...I remember you." Xion said, "You were the one in the square, the one Kirux told to get out of there."

He approached, saying, "Yeah...I took off, and I ran into Silver and another guy."

He turned to "Silver", "You can put her down, man. She's good."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

…

Silver lowered Xion to the ground, releasing her from the aura, "Sorry about that. You were pretty suspicious, in my defense."

"It's okay. I would've done the same thing, if it were me. Minus the floating and stuff."

Silver turned to the Hedgehog next to him, "Where's Knuckles?"

The hedgehog pointed back behind them, "He ran into some robots back that way. We should meet back up with him, and head back to base."

""Base"? Are you guys the resistance?"

"Yeah. There's not many of us, but...we're hanging in there."

"Well," Xion said, "You're in luck. I think I can help out, if you need it."

"We could definitely use the help. Come with us."

"Okay."

They started walking away, as Xion asked, "I know Silver, but...what's your name?"

The other hedgehog looked back at her, "I'm Zeon. It's nice to meet you...uhh-"

Xion laughed, "My name's Xion. It's nice to meet you, Zeon."

* * *

Kirux lifted the debris up, clearing the path.

He sighed, "Man, I really hope Xion is having a better time than I am..."

He pulled his phone out of his coat pocket, "Better check in with her."

Kirux went to call her, looking for her contact in his phone.

He tapped the call button, waiting.

"Come on, Xion. Pick up, please..."

After a few seconds, the phone stopped. Xion didn't pick up.

…

Kirux sighed, "I'll just send her a message."

He then went to his messages, typing out, _"Checking in. Have you found anyone yet? Lemme know when you get this."_

Kirux put his phone back in his coat pocket, the Heartless popping out to climb onto his head.

"Sorry Sora," Kirux said, "I know, you're probably bored."

The Heartless slumped down onto his head, clearly upset. Kirux reached up, rubbing his head lightly, "It's okay, buddy. We'll keep looking, and find someone eventually."

…

…

…

Kirux was now in an abandoned building, what he thought was a store.

He looked out the front window, and saw someone outside in the road. He ducked behind a set of shelves, looking out to see what they were doing.

There was a fox working on a robot, one that was different from the ones he'd fought against already. He had yellow-orange fur, shoes that were half red and half white. The weirdest thing of all though...he had _two_ tails. Yes, TWO.

Kirux squinted to make sure he wasn't seeing things, but nope. It was real. This fox had two tails.

"What in the world?" He said, before he heard the fox was talking.

The fox said, "That should've done it..."

He walked towards the front of the robot, talking more, "I couldn't figure it out for you, buddy. I'm sorry I wasn't smart enough..."

He kept working on the robot, despite his words.

Kirux noticed a manhole opening behind the fox, and water started to pour out of it onto the ground. When the water stopped, it formed into a figure. It was thin, but had long arms with claws. It had two large yellow eyes, with what looked like a brain in its head.

The fox turned around, watching this figure approach him, "Whoa. Chaos!"

"Uh-oh..." Kirux said, pulling his Keyblade out.

The fox has put his arms up to shield himself, as the creature went to attack him.

…

Before Kirux could intervene, a portal opened up somewhere he couldn't see. Suddenly, a really short, blue hedgehog ran up, jumped into the air (which made a distinct sound when he jumped), then dashed down and hit the creature, dispersing it.

He landed in front of the fox, and Kirux got a better look at him. He was light blue, had a round body, with white gloves and red shoes. The shoes had a white strap down the center, held together by a gold buckle. He was shorter than the fox, and his eyes were solid black. His eyes were also one, massive eye. There was no cutoff.

The fox looked up slowly, "S-Sonic?"

He was stunned, but in a good way, "You're alive!"

Kirux could only watch in shock, but he didn't have much time. The figure reformed, and went to attack.

This time, Kirux stepped in, yelling "Look out!"

Kirux used his Keyblade, firing a blast of dark fire at the creature. When it impacted, the creature dispersed again.

The creature didn't try to fight again, just retreating back to the manhole.

…

Kirux came out from the store, his Keyblade already faded away, "Are you two oka-?"

The hedgehog was then immediately in front of Kirux, looking him up and down suspiciously.

"Uhh...excuse you? You're in my space." Kirux said, not getting a response.

"Whoa whoa, settle down." The fox came over, pulling the hedgehog back a bit, "He helped us. He's good."

The hedgehog still seemed suspicious, but he smiled, and put a hand out to Kirux.

Kirux was confused, but did shake his hand, "It's nice to meet you...? I'm Kirux. What about you?"

The hedgehog said nothing, just pointing at himself, looking pretty smug.

"Uhh...he doesn't talk." The fox said, "It's a long story."

"Okay. Well, what's your name, kid?"

The fox smiled, "Miles Prower, but everyone calls me "Tails." This is Sonic."

Tails frowned, "Well, he's _a_ Sonic. This isn't our Sonic. He's Sonic, but from the past."

…

Kirux just looked confused, "Okay, so...he's from the past. Right?"

"Yeah, he is. He's helped us before, but...why he's here now, I don't know."

Tails looked over at Sonic, "Do you know how you got here?"

Sonic gave him a shrug.

Tails thought for a second, pacing, "Maybe the power that Eggman is using is somehow altering time."

He turned back to them, "Which we could use to our advantage. I mean, everything happens for a reason, right?"

Sonic nodded, smiling at Tails.

…

"Hold up, I'm confused by _so much_ of this." Kirux said, "First off, Eggman? Really? What kind of name is that?"

"Are you new around here?"

"Honestly, yeah. I kind of just got here. It's been weird."

"Just come with us. I can explain everything. Just try to keep up with Sonic. He's pretty fast."

Kirux crossed his arms, "Just how fa-,"

Sonic then took off, being gone almost immediately.

Kirux just stood there, eyes wide.

"Whaaaaa-," Kirux could barely get out.

And if things couldn't get weirder, Tails started flying. He was using his two tails...to _fly_.

Tails laughed, "Come on, we need to catch up."

Tails flew off, leaving Kirux completely flabbergasted.

"And now the fox can FLY?!"

* * *

 _ **Stage 1:**_

 _ **City - Ghost Town**_

 _ **Character: Classic Sonic**_

* * *

 _ **Play: Ghost Town (remixed by Turret 3471) - Sonic Forces**_

* * *

Sonic started running forward, picking up speed slowly before hitting a dash panel. He ran through a trail of six Rings, then ran over a pit onto another path, which had five Rings.

He fell down a pit, hitting another dash panel into a line of eight more Rings. He ran forward a bit longer before hitting a spring that sent him to a higher platform.

Tails called in to him over the radio, "The radar shows Eggman up ahead. Enemies could be lying in wait, so watch your step. I get the feeling that Eggman may have some tricks up his sleeve."

Sonic landed on to hint circle, after being launched by the spring.

…

 ** _A/N - Any hints will be using PlayStation 4 controls_**

 _? - Perform a Spin Attack to bust up enemies by pressing X._

…

He jumped up, seeing a robot in his path. It had red eyes on the front, with a grey-white shell surrounding a singular tire. It had two exhaust pipes on the back. When the robot saw Sonic, it revved up and shot towards him. Sonic jumped, hitting the robot and destroying it.

Sonic ran down onto a shorter platform, jumped over a fallen pillar onto a shorter platform, destroying another robot that he encountered earlier before running into a base robot. He jumped up, destroying it and continuing.

He jumped up, hitting an item box that contained ten Rings before running down and hitting another hint circle.

…

 _? - Take off like a rocket by holding Down on the D-pad and repeatedly pressing X to do a Spin Dash._

…

Sonic crouched down, curled himself into a ball, and started spinning rapidly. After charging for a few seconds, he took off, spun through a line of three Rings then a second line of ten more, and then through a group of three base robots. He continued down the road, hitting a spring that sent him to a high platform. He was now in the sewers.

He jumped over a pit, grabbing two Rings, before hitting a dash panel which propelled him up a ninety degree wall and back onto the main road. He grabbed six Rings when running up the wall.

Sonic ran past a star post and grabbed three more Rings on his way. He hit a dash panel that sent him running through a loop, collecting five more Rings then running down a small slope. He hit another dash panel which sent him through another loop, grabbing five more Rings, then running down another slope.

He went up a slope, hitting a spring that sent him back down into the sewers. He had collected four Rings as well as a Red Ring before landing.

He jumped onto a platform a little higher up, then jumped to another one, falling short but there was a base robot there, so he hit the top of it, destroying the robot and getting to the platform. He jumped over a pit, grabbing two Rings, jumped over a fallen pillar, grabbing two more Rings, and then jumped over another pit, grabbing two more Rings.

Sonic then ran into another hint circle.

…

 _? - You can perform an instant Spin Dash when landing a jump by pressing and holding X again in mid-air._

…

Sonic jumped over a pillar. While in midair, he spun like he had with the Spin Dash, and when he hit the ground, he shot off ahead. He spun through a trail of seven Rings before uncurling and running on his feet again.

He hit a dash panel and ran through a corkscrew bridge. To his left, there was a massive robot that noticed Sonic running along the path. They made eye contact, Sonic giving a hello salute to the robot before Tails called in again.

"This is terrible. They've made a total mess of this place. We need to stop Eggman and end this war quick."

Sonic ran past another star post after leaving the bridge, grabbing three Rings before a spring launched him skyward.

He landed on a platform, a base robot directly in front of him. He jumped up, destroying the robot.

There were two pathways, one high and one low. Sonic went the lower path, through the sewers again. He jumped over a platform that had a spring that would've shot him backwards, hitting a robot that was on a different platform.

He then jumped over a pit, over an item box containing Power Sneakers, which would make him run even faster. He jumped onto the item box and took off.

He ran through two loops really quickly, grabbing a total of ten Rings from the loops. He collected thirteen more down the path, before hitting another spring that sent him flying upwards. He hit a spring in the ceiling that sent him into a dash panel. He ran into another spring, flying up before hitting another platform with more springs. Finally, he landed and continued like normal.

Sonic jumped up, destroying two bee-like robots. He jumped onto a higher platform, destroying a base robot, then jumping into another bee-bot before hitting a wall, the wall lined with eight Rings.

He ran through a line of three Rings, jumping onto a platform and destroying a base robot. He jumped onto a red platform with two Rings, that was starting to collapse. Sonic jumped off, destroying a robot that was on land. Sonic jumped onto another falling platform, then destroyed another robot, then onto another falling platform. He collected six Rings from those jumps.

He hit a dash panel up a small slope, landing in front of pits that had springs at the bottom. He jumped over one pit, collecting six Rings that were lined above the springs below. He jumped over a second pit, only grabbing one Ring. He jumped over one final pit, grabbing six Rings again. He ran through a line of three Rings before jumping to a spring that sent him high up.

As he flew up, Tails spoke again, "Be careful, Sonic. I'm detecting a ton of readings besides Eggman, too. Hmm, this is weird. I'm detecting multiple readings with no life signs, but with heartbeats. What could they be?"

Sonic landed, then performed a Spin Dash into a loop with five Rings. He plowed through a group of bee-bots, hit a dash panel, and going through another corkscrew.

He landed on the main road running, dashing straight past the goal post, more massive robots causing havoc in the background.

* * *

 ** _Stop: Ghost Town (remixed by Turret 3471) - Sonic Forces_**

 _ **Play: Stage Clear - Sonic Forces**_

* * *

 _ **Results:**_

 **Time: 01:42.74 - 517400**

 **Rings: 161 - 48300**

 **Retries: 0 - 250000**

…

 **Score: 1046300**

 **Rank: S**

…

"That was awesome work, Sonic!"

* * *

 _ **Stop: Stage Clear - Sonic Forces**_

* * *

Sonic stopped running towards the edge of the city, waiting for Tails and Kirux to catch up.

Tails flew up to him, giving Sonic a thumbs up, "You haven't lost a step, Sonic."

Sonic gave Tails a thumbs up back, then laughing when Kirux ran up.

He stopped, hands on his knees, breathing heavily, "How...in the world...are you...so fast?"

Sonic just started snickering, while Tails just smiled, "Sonic's the fastest thing alive. If you think that was fast, just wait until we-,"

He stopped, his smile fading.

Kirux looked up, "What's up, Tails? Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I have some explaining to do. Come with us, and I'll explain everything that happened."

Kirux nodded, "Okay, but I have one request. Can we take things slow for a little bit? I'm sorry, but you're _way_ too fast for me to keep up with running."

Sonic looked angry, but conceited. The three of them walked off.

…

Meanwhile, from a distance, someone watched them. Skyler was watching from a rooftop.

"The doctor said he had eliminated the blue hedgehog."

She sighed, "I'm going to have to have a talk with him."

Suddenly, a Dusk appeared next to her, and she looked over at it, "Release the Heartless. I think it's finally time we make ourselves known to the people of this world..."

* * *

 **People wanted more KH stuff, so I added that last scene. It was supposed to come later on, but eh. I hope it balances things out a bit better.**

 **Hope you enjoyed. Let me know what y'all thought of that stage. It took a _really_ long time to do.**

 **Thanks, and see y'all next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


	48. XLVIII - The Resistance

**I've been gone for way too long, and I know that I'm supposed to alternate the updates between the two stories. But this just so happened to be finished first, so it's getting updated first.**

 **Sorry for being gone so long. I hit a pretty bad writer's block that hit me** _ **hard**_ **. I'm back now, and here's hoping it stays that way for the foreseeable future.**

 **Also, I'm back at school for sophomore year. Updates may not come as quickly, but I'll do my best.**

 **Anywho, let's continue.**

* * *

 _ **Play: Eggman's Idea - Sonic Unleashed**_

* * *

The only light coming into the lab was from the wall of monitors. There was a man standing in front of all of those monitors

He was tall, but his arms and legs were very disproportionate to the rest of his body. His legs and arms were both thin but long, while the rest of his body was rather..."rotund". He wore a red coat with two square, metal, gold buttons on each side, a white strip running from both buttons around the back of the coat to the other buttons on the other side. His coat also has silver, zipper-like linings down the back, front, and arms, yellow cuffs at the end of the sleeves, and extensions on the front with two more silver buttons. He also wore white gloves, with black pants and matching boots, which were seemingly connected to the pants. The boots had circular plates on the ankles and three square plates riding up the shins. **(Jesus, was this a doozy of an appearance description)**

He also had blue glasses over his eyes and a pair of goggles on top of his bald head (what's the point of them? I don't know), as well as a large, bushy mustache.

His title had always remained: Doctor. But he had gone by a few different names. First, it was "Robotnik."

Now, he goes by "Eggman", or "Doctor Eggman".

…

A door opened behind him. A robot rolled in to the room, unfurling its body. It wasn't like his other bots. This one wasn't built for combat, like the others. This one, dubbed "Orbot", was built to assist Eggman whenever needed.

Orbot spoke, "Sir? You have a visitor."

A person in a black coat came in, pushing Orbot aside and shutting the door to the lab shut.

"Hello, Doctor." The black coat figure said, their voice female, "It's been some time since I last encountered you."

Eggman turned back to the figure, "Ahh, it's you. Welcome back! How's it been?"

The figure stopped about three feet away from him, "Don't talk to me like that. We're not friends."

"Well, that's not the reaction I would expect from someone who so generously offered the Phantom Ruby to me."

…

"Let me remind you, Doctor. I gave you that ruby because you _insisted_ that if you had the powers that it holds, you would be able to eliminate that blue hedgehog you wouldn't stop rambling about."

Eggman laughed, "And I did! Sonic didn't stand a chance against the power of the Phantom Ruby. You should've seen it for yourself."

"That's funny," the hooded figure said, walking over to the monitors, "then how do you explain this?"

She pressed some buttons, and some images appeared on the screen of Classic Sonic **(I will refer to them as "Classic" and "Modern" Sonic to more easily distinguish the two)** running through the city, standing with Tails and Kirux, and even him saluting to one of the massive robots.

…

"What?!" Eggman said, his good mood having expired almost immediately, "That's impossible! I destroyed Sonic six months ago!"

But, after getting a closer look, his rage subsided, "Hold on a second...yes, I remember now."

"What?"

Eggman looked at the hooded figure, "A little while back, I was able to disrupt time and space using this "entity" I once encountered. Unfortunately, thanks to the incompetence of my past self, Sonic was able to defeat me...well, _both_ Sonics."

The hooded figure just looked confused, "Wait, so you're telling me...there's _two_ Sonics?"

"Yes, let me show you." Eggman pushed some buttons, bringing up more images of Sonic. However, this one looked differed. They were significantly taller, had longer spines, and had green eyes rather than solid black.

Eggman then pointed to the second Sonic, "This is the Sonic of this time, the one that we, I mean "I", defeated. This other Sonic must be the one from the past, just like before."

He continued, "I wonder if the Phantom Ruby has messing with time and the timelines. Did you know anything about this?"

The hooded figure looked at him, "Why do you think it' been six months since the last time we met?"

"Ahh, I see. You used the Phantom Ruby to go back. I see..."

…

The hooded figure just waived their hand, "Whatever. Just make sure you eliminate the hedgehog, like we agreed."

She went to leave, as Eggman was saying, "Don't you worry. I've got everything all under control..."

…

…

…

As soon as they were out of the base, the hooded figure took their hood off.

Sky sighed, "What a waste of time...I could deal with this in five minutes, but _no_."

"You just love to complain, don't you?"

She looked over, and Vanitas was leaning against a pillar, "What are you doing here? I've got this under control, y'know."

Vanitas shrugged, "Just checking in. Gonna be honest, that doctor guy, not a fan."

"Don't even get me started on him."

"You can not like him all you want, but he's important. You know the old man has a plan for everything."

"Yes, I do. But I cannot for the life of me figure out what he wants with this world, or why we're wasting our time with these... _people_."

Vanitas stood from the pillar, "It's all a fallback plan, Sky."

"What?"

He looked at her, "If the Guardians fail to show, or they lose some of them along the way, we'll need someone to fall back on. That's why I sent Kirux and Xion here. To look for pure lights. Some of the others are looking for the new Princesses, while you and I...are looking for warriors."

"Warriors of light?"

"Exactly. Hearts that will fight for the light, no matter what. Like I said, it's all just a fallback plan, but we never know what they'll plan to do. Now do you understand?"

Sky shrugged, "I guess."

…

Vanitas looked over the horizon, seeing the looped hills and pillars off in the distance "Y'know, this world is quite nice..."

He grinned deviously, "It would be a shame if something were to happen to it..."

* * *

 _ **Stop: Eggman's Idea - Sonic Unleashed**_

* * *

"How long has this been going on again?" Xion asked, as Silver lifted a pillar of rubble with his powers.

"Six months, apparently. I showed up a few weeks after, but things had already fallen apart by the time I showed up."

Xion looked down the road, seeing a massive robot destroying the city. She frowned, whispering to herself, "In all the worlds I've been to, things have never gotten this bad..."

Silver and Zeon passed her into the alleyway, and she quickly followed behind.

…

Silver went up to a door, putting his hand up to a control panel on the wall next to it.

"Inside, quick. Eggman could have bots anywhere."

Zeon entered first, Xion second, and Silver shutting the door behind them.

They continued down a dark hallway, some other animals sitting on the ground or leaning against the walls. Xion noticed a lot of them had weapons that she had seen that one soldier had in the city earlier. At one part, a squad of four other soldiers ran past the three of them, Xion watching as they went out into the city.

* * *

 _ **Play: This Is Our World - Phase 1 - Sonic Forces**_

* * *

Finally, they reached a large metal door. Silver turned to Xion and Zeon, "You stay out here," he said to Zeon, "and you, come with me."

They both complied, Xion following Silver into the room. The room was a large rectangular room, crates scattered all around. There was a small desk in the center of the room, as well as a massive monitor on the wall. There was someone working on a small computer at the desk. They didn't notice Silver and Xion entering the room.

Silver called out to them, "Amy, I'm back."

"Amy" looked up from her monitor, and when she noticed Silver, she stepped out and walked over to them. She looked like a pink hedgehog, just like Silver and Zeon, but her spines were down, almost resembling normal hair (kind of like Xion had in her human form).

She was wearing a red sleeveless dress with white trims, tall red boots with a white stripe down the center and white cuffs. She had a red hairband, the typical white gloves with gold bracelets.

"It's about time you got back. I was getting worried." She said to Silver, before looking over at Xion, "Who's this?"

"This is Xion. I found her when I was in the city with Knuckles. She's here to help."

Xion smiled, "Nice to meet you." She said, putting her hand out.

"It's about time you guys brought another girl to base," Amy said, smiling and shaking Xion's hand, "The name's Amy Rose, but just Amy is fine."

Amy then looked over at Silver, "Where's Knuckles, by the way?"

…

Right after she said that, the door opened, and a new person entered. Xion had no idea what sort of animal he was, but he certainly wasn't a hedgehog like the others. He was red, with long spines going down from his head to his legs. He had these large "boxing gloves" on his hands, unlike the others. The gloves also had spikes on the end, which Xion certainly didn't want to be on the receiving end of. He was wearing red and yellow shoes with green cuffs and a silver plate on the top.

Silver immediately said, "Knuckles, you're back. Sorry to leave you by yourself like that."

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Knuckles said, "So, what did you find?"

Silver stepped to the side, "Yes. Xion, this is Knuckles. He's our commander."

Knuckles looked at her, "You look...different. Where are you from?"

Xion was coughed a bit off guard by that, "Oh, well uh...I'm from...far away, and well...look, I'm just here to help."

…

Knuckles seemed a bit skeptical, but smiled, "Well anyways, we need all of the help we can get."

He turned away and looked up at the monitor, which was showing a map of a large island. The island was entirely red, with a blue indicator to show where the base was.

"As you can see, Eggman's forces have taken over pretty much everything. We've managed to hold on to some small footholds here and there, but as of now, Eggman has complete control. A lot of my best are missing. The Chaotix, Blaze, Tails...we haven't heard from any of them in months. That's not even mentioning Sonic, if he's still out there..."

"Sonic," Xion said, walking closer to the monitor, "Silver said he's the one that that Eggman guy took down when this whole thing started."

Knuckles nodded, "Yeah. We've been holding out hope that he's still alive and out there for months, but at this point..."

Silver and Amy both hung their heads, as Knuckles continued, "However, we're hoping that with you..."

The door opened, and Zeon walked into the room, "And him now in the picture, maybe we'll have a chance of turning this whole war around."

Knuckles picked up a device from a crate, one of the weapons Xion kept seeing. This one was different from the others. This one was shaped like a drill, excluding the part where you held the weapon.

"Here kid. You're gonna need this." Zeon grabbed it from Knuckles, holding it in his hand. He pulled the trigger on it, the drill spinning a bit.

"All good?" Knuckles asked. Zeon nodded, "All good."

"By the way," Xion said, bringing Knuckles's attention back to her, "I came here with a friend of mine, his name's Kirux. He's here to help too."

"Great. Where is he?"

…

It was there that Xion realized. She remembered that her and Kirux had split up.

"That's...a good question. I'm not sure at the moment."

She pulled her phone out, "I can find out right now."

When she looked at the screen, she saw that she had a message from Kirux...from nearly four hours ago.

It read, _"Checking in. Have you found anyone yet? Lemme know when you get this."_

"Crap..." she said to herself, but she didn't have time to respond.

…

Someone over the radio came through from Amy's computer. She looked up at Knuckles, "It's from Rouge!"

"Put it through!"

On the big screen, you could see audio waves, but no video.

"Knuckles? You there?" The voice came through, clearly female.

"Rouge! About time! What have you been able to find?"

"Something big, boss. You want the good side or the bad side first?"

"Good side."

"Well, you'll never believe it, but..."

She hesitated, but eventually did speak, "Sonic is alive."

…

Silver was ecstatic, "No way! That's amazing!"

Amy was just as excited, "What?! Ohmigosh. I knew it! I knew it!"

"Hold on guys. Rogue, what's the bad side?"

"They're getting ready to banish him into space."

And suddenly, the mood crashed down.

Silver was the first to speak, "WHAT?! You can't be serious!"

"Dead serious. Eggman rebuilt the Death Egg. He's been keeping Sonic alive all of this time, just so he could see his empire once it's complete. Then, he's gonna shoot him off into space."

Zeon spoke this time, "Well, then we've gotta go save him!"

"It's not that easy, kid. The Death Egg is no joke."

"So we're just gonna let Eggman get away with this?"

Knuckles shook his head, "Of course not. Thanks for the intel, Rouge. Stay in touch."

Rouge said, "Roger," then the radio cut.

…

Knuckles then turned to everyone else, who were all standing around the table.

"Who's up for an old-school style jailbreak?"

Everyone except Xion said "Yes" enthusiastically.

Xion just looked down at her phone, sending Kirux a message.

 _"We've gotta situation. Talk to you soon."_

* * *

 **I feel like this was rushed. Was this rushed? I'll let y'all judge that.**

 **Thanks for reading. Hopefully I'm back for good now.**

 **See y'all next time.**

 **-Broncozfan623**


End file.
